Louis Vuitton hires Pharrell Williams to become its new men’s creative director, opening a new chapter for the brand following the death of star designer Virgil Abloh in November 2021, the Wall Street Journal and Le Figaro first reported.
The appointment puts an end to months of speculation about who would take one of fashion’s top jobs. The choice of Williams — himself a luxury streetwear entrepreneur, who co-founded Billionaire Boys Club with Nigo in the early naughts — suggests that Vuitton believes star power and a streetwear-inflected aesthetic will continue to propel its men’s business in the post-Abloh era.
Abloh was the first Black designer to take the creative reins at Vuitton. His fluency in community-building and collections that married street culture with high fashion helped broaden the brand’s appeal with a younger, more diverse customer base, creating a halo over the Louis Vuitton mark that could pay dividends for years to come.
But the choice of Williams, a world-famous music producer and streetwear guru with 14.3 million Instagram followers, suggests that Vuitton is banking on celebrity star power and mass appeal to propel its men’s business in the post-Abloh era, a move that stands in contrast to the recent appointment of behind-the-scenes Valentino designer Sabato De Sarno at rival megabrand Gucci.
Last year, sales at parent LVMH hit a record €79.2 billion, up 23 per cent year on year, while profits reached €17 billion. The group does not break out performance for individual brands but noted Louis Vuitton “had an excellent year,” with “its strong ties with art and culture” contributing to the success.
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