Louis Vuitton Goes West

16 Jan 2024

Pharrell Williams took Vuitton to the American desert, but the references were too obvious, resulting in an outing that felt flat despite the bling bling, writes Angelo Flaccavento.


PARIS — Pharrell Williams chose to stage his second Parisian outing (and third show) for Louis Vuitton in a white cube at the side of the Fondation Louis Vuitton, a giant “Paris LV Virginia” insignia emblazoned on the outside, the inside covered with a screensaver-like projection of the American desert.

Was Louis Vuitton going West? Indeed, it was, complete with cowboy hats and boots, turquoise buttons and a sense of rough elegance, with the addition of some Carhartt-like workwear, boots developed in collaboration with Timberland and lots of denim.

“One of the reasons I am here is to bring Louis Vuitton to places: not to appropriate, but to appreciate,” said Pharrell backstage. As a creative director, he clearly loves a theme, seemingly unafraid of being too literal.

Visually, the show was a feast, with multicultural casting that gave the goings a wonderful sense of varied humanity. But the references were too obvious and Pharrell didn’t really take them anywhere, resulting in an outcome that was ultimately a little flat, despite all the bling bling and in your face richness.

This is really something that could be fine-tuned in the future. What appeared to be perfectly formed, however, was the vision of the LV man, with plenty of specimens in the front row: a lavish big spender not afraid to wear his wealth on his sleeve, jacket and trousers, with unrepentant pride. Quiet luxury this isn’t.