8 of Pharrell Williams’ best luxury collaborations to date: before the singer became Louis Vuitton’s new head of menswear, he worked with everyone from Adidas and Chanel to Moncler and Richard Mille

Feb 23 , 2023

Pharrell Williams is the newly appointed head of menswear at Louis Vuitton. Photo: @louisvuitton/Instagram

While his appointment as Louis Vuitton’s head of menswear – replacing Virgil Abloh – is the first time a brand has brought Williams in house, the ‘Happy’ singer has designed fashion for years

From creating a Chanel capsule line for Karl Lagerfeld and sneakers for Nike, to accessories for Marc Jacobs at Louis Vuitton as far back as 2004, Williams is hardly a new name to the fashion world

If you think Pharrell Williams’ appointment as the head of menswear at Louis Vuitton is a gimmick or a move that came out of the blue, you likely haven’t been paying attention.

Ever since the death of Louis Vuitton menswear designer Virgil Abloh in 2021, billionaire LVMH owner Bernard Arnault has needed a replacement to continue his vision for the house. And while the appointment of singer/producer Williams may have surprised some, LVMH watchers would know better.

US rapper and producer Pharrell Williams poses as he arrives for the 65th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, US, on February 6. Photo: AFP

In recent years, Arnault has talked about Louis Vuitton not just selling luxury handbags and clothes but “selling culture”, per CNBC. And Williams’ place at the heart of fashion and street style over the last two decades clearly made him a great candidate for his current role.

In fact, from his just-announced Tiffany partnership (also an LVMH brand) to his own labels BBC and Ice Cream, Williams has actually been quietly defining men’s fashion for years.

Pharrell Williams attends the Kenzo autumn/winter 2022-2023 show as part of Paris Fashion Week in January 2022, in Paris, France. Photo: Getty Image

Even Kanye West gave credit to Williams’ pioneering work during a speech in 2015, saying that “Pharrell had always been my fashion idol” and that “without Pharrell, there would be no Kanye”.

Let’s take a look at Williams’ best and most prestigious luxury fashion collaborations to date.

1. Nike Dunk trainers

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