Louis Vuitton’s First Men’s Collection By Pharrell Pops Up on Melrose
ORIGINAL VERSION PUBLISHED Los Angeles Magazine/JANUARY 4th 2024
Anything, everything, Pharrell Williams touches turns to gold – gold records, gold color LV bags – and no doubt, a lotta gold coins. That includes the new Louis Vuitton men’s Creative Director’s first collection of sporty chic suits, (spring/summer 2024), denim, moto boots, blindingly bright color LV Speedy bags, pearl jewelry, sparkly sunglasses – even skirt suits – all of which debuted in L.A. Wednesday night (Jan. 3) at the brand’s first men’s Pharrell stamped pop-up at Melrose and Robertson. L.A. and N.Y. are the only U.S. recipients of LV in-house architects’ realization of Pharrell’s golden vision for his first collection (fifty internationally), PW following in the tough-to-fill footsteps of late LV men’s Creative Director Virgil Abloh.
There’s nothing but PW originals here, which you can take in at this temp shop – as opposed to LV’s men’s store on Rodeo – till March. Gold is a big theme here: a gold painted version of Paris’s famed Pont Neuf, on which Pharrell showed his first collection last June, runs just under the ceiling in the front room of the three room shop. Shelves for product are gold, the floor’s done in gold and champagne large LV Damier checks – there’s even an oversized gold LV logo trunk, for the quite polished traveler. But the real star – not PW himself, who stayed behind in Paris to prep for his second LV men’s show in two weeks – was the clothes themselves: suits, shoes, boots, jewelry, denim and sunglasses, which set hearts and credit cards on fire with the opening’s crowd of influencers, gold Amex LV shoppers, models, and requisite celebs. Saltburn star Barry Keoghan caused a stir, arriving in LV bomber and slim cut pants, getting ready for his second Golden Globe nominated moment. “I do love clothes,” Keoghan admitted. “Ilaria (superstar stylist Ilaria Urbinati, who accompanied him) here really got me into it. I’ve worn a ton of LV this season – love it. Excited for the Globes this time around – I loved going the first time (when nominated for The Banshees of Inisherin). It’s amazing to be in that crowd – just mind blowing.”
Many eyed Pharrell’s brand new digitally expanded Damier check designs (LV refers to their heritage print as “Chequers” – in camo colors, as opposed to LV’s traditional brown and almond tones.
Introduced at the Pont Neuf show, Pharrell dubbed the pixilated version of the print “Damouflage.” However, LV’s better known logo – little LV’s – appeared plenty, in a sportier back room for denim, and a full room displaying his rainbow colored real leather Speedy bags (they’ve never been done in leather before). They were also imbedded into pale grey/silver slim suits on LV salesmen and reps. Jaden Smith, in LV head to toe with logo belt, grasped tightly onto an oversized Pharrell blue Speedy bag, admitting he’d buy it – or they’d offer it to him gratis – whichever came first. Of course, men’s stylists Urbinati and Jeanne Yang were eyeing the goods (for the Globes?), as was Bob Dylan grandson model/actor Levi Dylan, Globe nominated actor Steven Yeun, Dylan Sprouse, producer Andrew Panay (he pairs LV with Cartier diamonds), and the all-LV Damier or not clad influencers and clients. One major female LV shopper went off-trend, donning a women’s yellow pleated full length Grecian gown with a deep V neck – “it was a special rarely-made one designed by Nicolas Ghesquiere,” said one LV specialist. In the company of the mostly male logo-wearing crowd (Pharrell’s denim pajama look dominated), this gown even more a showstopper.
LV’s pop up just about everywhere, natch – including on blue/grey walls and stools in three dressing rooms – the LV travel books stacked on gold shelves – and of course, on those big all-leather Speedy’s in red, yellow, blue, housed on spot-lit platforms in a separate room – you can see how they’re styled in a large video of the actual show airing behind them. There’s also a new Pharrell specific LV logo to wear: the music producer/artist/designer hybrid hails from Virginia – so “LV Lovers” – as in “Virginia is for lovers” – appears in script on back on jackets and many other pieces.
Another Pharrell touch: pearls – yes, for men. If Harry Styles can do it, why can’t all guys? Remember when men with an earring or two seemed shocking? Many of PW’s jacket buttons are made of pearls; some of the men’s jewelry are pearl-laden as well. The LV Creative Director did not skimp on heavy metal: silver and gold necklaces, gold/pearl rings, bracelets – he created many iteration s of jewels, which no doubt appeal to the ladies as well. So will his bags: some tiny, some midsized – many in metallics. Will men carry the petite evening-style bags? “Why not?” one LV employee quipped. Indeed. Man bags are dead, anyway: long live the unisex bag.
Pharrell friends and family like Beyonce’ and Jay-Z, Rihanna and ASAP Rocky, Lenny Kravitz, weren’t on deck, but they’ll no doubt make his upcoming second Paris show – while some of his looks will no doubt show up at the Golden Globes this weekend – as well as plenty of LV women’s couture pieces, with Emma Stone now an LV ambassador. Pharrell’s first collection ad campaign also launched this week, starring none other than LeBron James. Not bad.
“This yellow Grecian gown is a Nicolas Ghesquire dress that he made very few of,” David explained
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Merle Ginsberg is a fashion writer and television personality who was one of the judges on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” in the first two seasons of the show. She is also an award winning journalist and writer, and a NY Times bestselling author. She started her long media career in NY at the Village Voice, MTV and Rolling Stone. Then, moving to L.A., she wrote for People, Us, L.A. Times and W Magazine and Women’s Wear Daily, where she presided over the West Coast bureau for 12 years, also contributing to L.A. Magazine, Jane and Details. She also served as Senior Style Editor of The Hollywood Reporter.
