LOUIS VUITTON’s Latest Spring-Summer 2024 Collection: The Boldest Looks
The capsule was inspired by the word “Lovers,” which also paid homage to Virginia and the day she began working on her first pieces.
The fashion world eagerly anticipated the Louis Vuitton Spring Summer 2024 Menswear collection fashion show, as it marked the debut of Pharrell Williams as menswear creative director at the iconic luxury brand. The artist was named creative director of Louis Vuitton in February, taking over the position previously held by Virgil Abloh, who passed away in 2021.
For his debut runway show, Williams stepped up the fashion spectacle with a show of power the likes of which Paris has rarely seen. Louis Vuitton took over the iconic Pont Neuf bridge as the venue for the show, to which guests were transported by boat. The event, which took place against the stunning backdrop of the Seine River at sunset, showcased a remarkable fusion of fashion, music and celebrity presence. With a star-studded audience and an extravagant production, the show epitomized the beginning of the Pharrell Williams era at Louis Vuitton.
Celebrities such as Beyoncé, Zendaya and Rihanna graced the event, adding to the excitement surrounding the highly anticipated fashion show. The guest list was packed with celebrities, including Pusha T, Timbaland, J Balvin, Anitta, Jared Leto, Kim Kardashian and Lenny Kravitz. Also in attendance were Naomi Campbell, as well as Willow and Jayden Smith, plus basketball star LeBron James, who stood out in the crowd. K-pop group Got7 members Jackson Wang and BamBam were also in attendance.
The venue chosen for this momentous event was the iconic Pont Neuf bridge in Paris, symbolizing the connection between the fashion capital and Pharrell Williams’ home state of Virginia. Serving as a metaphorical bridge, the show became a celebration of the synergy between Parisian elegance and Virginia’s creative spirit, resulting in a collection that exuded a unique combination of innovation and urban style. The guiding concept of the capsule was in part the word “Lovers,” which also paid homage to Virginia and the day she began working on her first pieces. “It’s immersive. And it’s very inspired by the love and support of the people here that I’ve been lucky enough to experience over the last 30 years,” Williams said of the presentation held outdoors on the Pont Neuf bridge in Paris.
Drawing inspiration from the sun as a universal source of life, Pharrell Williams infused a sense of empowerment and appreciation throughout the collection. The impact of the sun was manifested in everything from the radiant graphics and warm palette to the shimmering surface decorations that adorned the garments and accessories. This celestial motif serves as a reminder to shine the light of love on one another, bridging cultural divides and fostering connection.
It was a massive collection, 74 looks in all, many of them characterized by a pixelated version of the house’s chessboard Damier print, a remixed motif that Pharrell showcased in his first campaign for the house. The Damier came in multiple colors, embroidered with pearls, or reworked into ‘Damouflage’ or forming pixelated artwork created by the American creative artist. The collection borrowed references from the Louis Vuitton archives, Pharrell’s own experiences and the sun; according to the show notes, the yellow dwarf star is “present throughout the collection, in the rays of the graphics, the warmth of the palette, and the shimmering surface decorations that gild garments and accessories.”
The pattern appeared on a range of accessories, workwear, denim and knitwear, symbolizing the harmony between nature-inspired camouflage and Louis Vuitton’s iconic aesthetic. The color yellow, Pharrell’s favorite color, was another protagonist motif. Love was also a central theme, with the designer creating a new emblem inspired by the word itself and the initials of Louis Vuitton: LVRS.
Tailored suits paired with shorts, Damoflage coats that unraveled into inlaid pieces, denim suits with prints that replicated the waves of epi leather and mink furs with macrorepresentations of the floral elements of the monogram.
Louis Vuitton’s spring/summer 2024 menswear collection was a masterful blend of past and present, with a unique eye for current pop culture trends. Presented in a vibrant trio of hues across accessories, workwear, denim, eveningwear, knitwear, furs and tailoring, the pattern fuses Louis Vuitton iconographies with Williams’ sui-generis stylistic attributes.
Tailoring, jeans and accessories were embellished with micro-embroidery of artwork by American artist Henry Taylor depicting important figures in the artist’s life. The Louis Vuitton Speedy bag is reinvented as an everyday emblem for people from all walks of life, encapsulating the attitude and mindset of Canal Street. It also reintroduced the Monogram Miroir metallic bags, originally introduced by Marc Jacobs in the mid-2000s.
The Spring/Summer 2024 men’s collection captivated onlookers with its vibrant palette, intricate detailing and powerful symbolism.
Pharrell Williams acknowledged the initial skepticism surrounding his appointment as creative director. He emphasized his role as an apprentice and expressed his commitment to sharing his growth and learning with the world through each collection.