Pharrell is a man of many friends.
Some, like Kaws and Zendaya, he interviews on his podcast, OTHERTone.
Others, including Jay-Z, Travis Scott and Nile Rodgers, he invites to perform at his Virginia Beach-set festival, Something in the Water.
The rest – from SZA to Blondey McCoy to Tyler, the Creator – he enlists to appear in ads for his multidisciplinary label, Humanrace, and, as of late, the luxury stalwart the hitmaker recently began heading up the menswear division for, Louis Vuitton.
Yesterday, LeBron James became the second long-time pal of Pharrell's to front an LV campaign. (As we're sure you'll remember, the first was a heavily pregnant Rihanna.)
The athlete's Vuitton moment has emerged to accompany the retail launch of Pharrell's debut LV collection, 'Louis Vuitton Lovers'. And it's totally stellar.
It's also insightful.
Like Pharrell's appointment itself, the campaign captures the zeitgeist of our times. Yes, it speaks volumes about the currency of celebrity in the present day – the hottest topic of discourse in the fashion industry since the hire – but, more importantly, it attests that streetwear isn't a phase.
It champions a future in which formalwear and streetwear continue to influence one another and are regarded as equal – a future that Pharrell's forerunner, the late Virgil Abloh (another mate of the musician-cum-designer), famously envisioned.
Sure, LV is suits – of which there are plenty of fire ones in Pharrell's second LV collection – and fine leather travel bags, but, these days, it's also fun furry monogram boots (absolute catnip for #style TikTokkers), vivid bite-size manbags, pyjamas to wear to Nobu (branch dependant) and elevated camo sweatshirts. And, IOO, the high-fashion linchpin is all the better for it.
For those on board with Pharrell-era LV, some exciting news: Selfridges' The Corner Shop (the pop-up space the department store chain keeps on the ground floor of its OG London outpost) has received an 'LV Lovers' makeover to commemorate the launch.
It's an authentic alliance since Selfridges is yet another friend of Pharrell's – it was the first British store to carry his Humanrace skincare range, plus it's a stockist of Billionaire Boys Club and ICECREAM, labels he established alongside Nigo (of Bape, Human Made and Kenzo fame) in the noughties.
“The [...] experiential space features cluster cubes to mimic the pixelated damoflage and damier pop prints of the collection,” says Selfridges on the space. “Through this cubic display, the breathtaking Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris is reimagined, transporting you to Pharrell Williams' first Louis Vuitton show location.”
And, yes, SS24 pieces will be available to buy from the installation, so that you can get like LeBron James, Rihanna and the rest of Pharrell's circle.
In other words: this is your chance to have it like that.
You can visit the Louis Vuitton Lovers takeover of Selfridges’ The Corner Shop until Wednesday 7 February.
The collection is shoppable at the space, as well as on the Louis Vuitton webstore and in Louis Vuitton stores worldwide.
