After influencing how we dress and think about clothing for decades, Pharrell being the creative director at Louis Vuitton feels like a culmination of his legacy. Rather than select a classically trained designer for the position, LVMH doubled down on streetwear by asking Pharrell to take over the role that was left vacant following Virgil Abloh’s tragic death. Despite the whispers that luxury fashion had moved on from streetwear, LVMH still understands the importance of it and Pharrell’s reputation within that arena. And by looking at the star-studded spectacle that was Pharrell’s debut runway presentation in Paris with Louis Vuitton, the fashion conglomerate made the right decision. A who’s who of global icons showed up to celebrate the moment, including Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Rihanna (who was featured in Pharrell’s first LV campaign), Zendaya, and LeBron James.
The impact didn’t stop there. Lil Uzi Vert wore a pearl track jacket and a green Speedy Bag to the 2023 BET Awards. And photos of Pharrell carrying a $1 million Speedy bag made of yellow crocodile leather the day after the LV show got just as much attention as the looks on the runway did. Clearly, Pharrell’s influence has hardly waned.
But even with his new gig, Pharrell isn’t all about catering to his celeb buddies. Though LV is not a streetwear brand, it’s clear that Pharrell is going to use his position to make sure that the subculture is spotlighted. For example, Pharrell tapped prominent figures within streetwear like Awake NY brand director and former Stüssy consultant Hugo Mendoza to appear in the runway show.
And Pharrell is still the owner of Billionaire Boys Club, the 20-year-old iconic streetwear brand that he reclaimed a majority stake in back in 2016. He has also been a long-term collaborator with Adidas since 2014, proving how much weight his name holds when it comes to selling products. With the tools of a major fashion house now at his disposal, Pharrell’s power has risen, and his legacy will only grow stronger. —Mike DeStefano
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