Pharrell succeeded the late fashion designer Virgil Abloh as head of menswear at the iconic fashion house.
WASHINGTON — American producer and musician Pharrell Williams has been named the new creative director of Louis Vuitton menswear. according to the fashion house.
French luxury brand announced Williams’ appointment on Tuesday, calling him a “global icon” and a “visionary.” Williams took over the position previously held by the late fashion designer Virgil Abloh, who died in 2021 of cancer.
“I am delighted to welcome Farrell home, following our 2004 and 2008 collaborations with Louis Vuitton, as our new Men’s Creative Director,” said the brand’s CEO and Chairman Pietro Beccari. – His creative vision beyond fashion will undoubtedly lead Louis Vuitton to a new and very exciting chapter.”
The “Happy” singer, who has 13 Grammys and two Academy Awards, was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020. His first collection with Louis Vuitton will be presented in June during men’s fashion week in Paris.
Williams revealed his new role on Instagram with a picture of himself wrapped in a Louis Vuitton blanket.
“The way that [Pharrell] breaks the boundaries of the different worlds it explores, in line with Louis Vuitton’s status as a House of Culture, reinforcing its values of innovation, pioneering spirit and entrepreneurship,” the statement said.
Williams is no stranger to the world of fashion, having collaborated with Adidas, Chanel and Tiffany & Co. In 2003, the producer also released his own line called Billionaires Boys Club.
Abloh, who headed Louis Vuitton’s menswear division from 2018 until his death, was the brand’s first black creative director for a menswear line. Abloh died at the age of 41 after a private battle with a rare form of cancer.
Abloh’s ubiquitous, consumer-friendly presence in culture was vast and dynamic. Some have compared him to Jeff Koons. Others hailed him as the Lagerfeld of his generation, the longtime creative director of Chanel who died in 2019.
Williams was among the celebrities who mourned of the late designer when he died.
“My heart is broken” Williams said in 2021. “Virgil, you were a kind, generous, thoughtful creative genius. Your work as a human being and your work as a spiritual being will live forever. You send love and light to your wife, children, family and first-timers.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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