Hip-hop artist Pharrell Williams used the theme of one-world unity to launch Paris Fashion Week on Tuesday, hosting his most recent Louis Vuitton branding event inside the UNESCO offices. The exhibition honored “global dandies” with a plethora of double-breasted suits a la diplomate, bombers modeled after pilots, and several interpretations of the label’s trademark baggage for the ultra-rich leisure traveler.
The program notes described the model selection as “a palette rendered in the nuances of skin tones of all the humans of the planet,” with color coding used to match skin tones with clothing. Pyjama suits in the vein of silk were prominent, as were glitzy new interpretations of the pixelated Damier check pattern that has become a Williams trademark.
In a symbol of the lucrative crossover between fashion, music, and fame, he took over as creative director of the most successful luxury company in the world more than a year ago. He took over Paris’s iconic Pont Neuf bridge for his opulent debut that year, and his follow-up in January was a tribute to Americana that appeared to be a meticulously orchestrated tie-in with celebrity singer Beyonce’s new album with a cowboy theme.
The “Happy” singer commandeered the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization’s Paris headquarters, a representation of global diplomacy, for his most recent performance. A teaser on Instagram with the subject “The World is Yours” showed kids dressed as ambassadors and urged to strive for a more united world—complete with briefcases bearing the Vuitton logo, of course. In the midst of a French far-right surge in surveys ahead of a snap election that is scheduled to take place in two weeks, the political message in this year’s Olympic host city struck a chord with the front row.
Djiby Kebe, from the Air Afrique art collective, stated, “We are living in a very tense period.” “France is opening up to the world like never before — with this show, with the Olympics — but we find ourselves with the possibility of a far-right government which terrifies us,” he stated to AFP. In April, LVMH, the label’s parent business, stated that it was expanding its environmental initiative collaboration with UNESCO. For the campaigners, that cannot happen soon enough.
The most lucrative fashion company in the world, Louis Vuitton, only received a score of 29 out of 100 on the most current Fashion Transparency Index, which is calculated by Fashion Revolution and looks at things like labor rights and environmental effect.
Burc Akyol: The menswear presentations start this week, and the haute couture shows start right away and run until June 27. Popular newcomer Burc Akyol earlier on Monday displayed a range of subdued and sultry ensembles, citing his mixed emotions about his recent civil partnership as the inspiration. After a display that included his signature high-slit skirts, tight wraps, and an abundance of translucent tops, he declared, “It’s an explosion of someone who has so much to say but only has five minutes.”
“I’m still a relatively young brand, and I face new challenges every day. I swing from being on cloud nine to being on minus one,” admitted Akyol, who has been open about the financial struggles that upstart labels face. “We’re meeting our market more and more as we expand. We must adhere to it even if it’s extremely responsive,” he told AFP. Givenchy, Valentino, and Balmain are among the brands that have had to cancel this season due to the Games pushing fashion week early from July.
Vogue World, a massive celebration hosted by the magazine on Sunday that brings together the two extremely profitable worlds of sports and luxury fashion, will be a major attraction for fashionistas. The fashion industry is also getting ready to bid adieu to one of its most celebrated designers, Dries Van Noten of Belgium, who will retire following his presentation on Saturday.
