Pharrell’s epic debut for Louis Vuitton at Paris Fashion Week: the luxury fashion brand showed off its menswear spring/summer 2024 collection, with stars like Beyoncé and Rihanna gracing the front row

Jun 21 , 2023

Louis Vuitton’ fashion designer, singer Pharrell Williams, acknowledges the audience at the end of the Louis Vuitton menswear spring/summer 2024 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on the Pont Neuf, central Paris, on June 20. Photo: AFP

Pop star Pharrell Williams made history by becoming the LVMH-owned luxury fashion brand’s head of menswear after Virgil Abloh – and transformed the Pont Neuf into a gospel nightclub for his debut show

Beyoncé, Rihanna and LeBron James were among the star-studded guest list, and Jay-Z performed with Pharrell cameoing – all in keeping with Bernard Arnault’s vision of the house ‘selling culture’

Musician-turned-designer Pharrell Williams took over the oldest bridge in Paris, packed it with celebrities and turned it into a pumping gospel nightclub as he made his historic debut for Louis Vuitton on Tuesday.

Pharrell Williams (centre) made a splash for his debut show as Louis Vuitton’s head of menswear during Paris Fashion Week on the Pont Neuf, central Paris, on June 20. Photo: AFP

Rihanna, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, LeBron James and Zendaya were among the many stars lined up along the Pont Neuf in central Paris, which had a golden carpet rolled along its entire length.

The multifaceted artist told AFP before the show that he was conscious of the traumatic history behind the current dominance of Black culture that has allowed him to take over at the world’s most lucrative fashion label.

Military touches featured in designer Pharrell Williams’ menswear ready-to-wear spring/summer 2024 collection show for fashion house Louis Vuitton, on the Pont Neuf bridge, during Men’s Fashion Week in Paris, France, on June 20. Photo: Reuters

“We wish that our culture and our people didn’t have to suffer so hard to get us here,” said Williams ahead of his debut as menswear director for Louis Vuitton.

“It’s not lost on me that a lot of people died, a lot of people lost their lives and suffered to get us to these positions.”

Models present colourful creations – including Louis Vuitton’s signature check pattern – by designer Pharrell Williams as part of his menswear ready-to-wear spring/summer 2024 collection show for the fashion house, on the Pont Neuf bridge, during Men’s Fashion Week in Paris, France, on June 20. Photo: Reuters

The show itself played it fairly safe, drawing on Louis Vuitton’s familiar check patterns and leather work, adding in some pixelated patterns and some military-style camouflage.