Paris Fashion Men’s Week, which happens from June 20 to 25 will feature ramp walks, presentations, special events, parties and countless parallel shows. Pharrell Williams, head of menswear at Louis Vuitton will present the first runway.
The Louis Vuitton show becomes the main attraction of this Parisian week dedicated to the men’s collections for Spring-Summer 2024. The renowned musician, DJ and producer Pharell Williams took over as creative director of Louis Vuitton last February. So far, there are no clues about the form the singer intends to take the Louis Vuitton man. One can except to say that the palette will be flamboyant based on the first campaign picture.
The Campaign
Louis Vuitton’s first campaign image features Rihanna as the unexpected face of menswear. Pharrell Williams further offered a teaser on social media, sharing a photo of himself in front of the Orsay Museum featuring a giant hoarding of singer Rihanna, pregnant and sporting some colourful Louis Vuitton bags.
The Show
The show will happen at night on the oldest standing bridge, the Pont Neuf in Paris. And the guests will view the catwalk from boats on the Seine and the Ile de la Cité. A whole stretch of the riverbank is cordoned off, from the bridge to the Concorde Plaza in the early afternoon. Guests received their invitations on Monday. A mini-stained glass window featuring a sunset over the bridge in keeping with the singer’s “Happy” vibes. This also hints that yellow or other warm colours could be a highlight of the collection.
The Association
Pharrell Williams faced a major challenge filling the shoes of Virgil Abloh, who breathed new streetwear-infused life into Louis Vuitton before his tragically early death from cancer in 2021. Furthermore, several labels have moved away from the big-name designers of the past like Jean-Paul Gaultier and Karl Lagerfeld, preferring more discreet professionals.
But Louis Vuitton went the other way, placing a full-blown celebrity in charge. Furthermore, Williams has long been a red-carpet sensation, known for daring outfits that go far beyond the usual hip-hop stylings. And he previously showcased a string of collaborations with Chanel, Moncler and Tiffany along with Louis Vuitton.
“Williams has been living in hip-hop, and looking into the future, for more than 20 years, a valuable perspective for a luxury men’s wear world that has already absorbed hip-hop and is hoping to divine what might come next,” the New York Times wrote after his appointment.
The other designers
This first highlight of Paris Fashion Week should not overshadow the rest of the programme. The show promises to be just as intense, bringing together a total of 80 labels with 38 presentations and 42 fashion shows. Burc Akyol, a finalist in this year’s LVMH Prize, will make his catwalk debut. He had founded his own house of demi-couture for men and women.
All the big names will be present. This ranges from Dior and Hermès to Givenchy, Loewe and Kenzo. Also, high-profile brands such as AMI, Marine Serre and Lemaire. It will also feature up-and-coming labels Botter, Hed Mayner, Grace Wales Bonner, Bluemarble and EgonLab.
Paris Fashion Week will be punctuated by a series of evenings and after-shows. They are organised by Kenzo, Louboutin, Acne Studios, Bluemarbel and Highsnobiety.
