Pharrell Williams is opening up about his appointment as artistic director of Louis Vuitton menswear.
In an interview with the Enterprise of Trend printed on Monday, October 9, Williams, 50, revealed that he was shocked by the provide. “I imply, weren’t you shocked if you heard it?” he requested the interviewer, including, “I simply hadn’t even thought-about myself in that method.”
“That’s why this complete factor has simply been so thoughts blowing,” Williams continued. “I’ve simply been so touched by the entire thing … that somebody would see me that method. However then there are particular elements inside you that you recognize have been there, however you’re simply not even fascinated by it in that method.”
Williams succeeds his late pal Virgil Abloh as artistic director, whose stunning dying in November 2021 surprised the style world. Abloh based the model Off-White earlier than his appointment to Louis Vuitton in 2018, and has been extensively credited in bringing streetwear into the excessive trend area.
Abloh’s appointment was groundbreaking; he was the primary Black American to function Inventive Director of menswear within the model’s over 150-year historical past. Williams admits that Abloh has “large sneakers” to fill however insists that’s not his purpose. “I’m not right here to fill my brother’s sneakers,” he informed the Enterprise of Trend. “My brother’s sneakers are his sneakers. And the steps that he took are his steps.”
As for Williams’ personal steps? He hopes to convey the idea of freedom in his work, declaring it a “luxurious” and a “heavy phrase” in a world wherein so many are certain by financial, social and authorized hardship.
“For me, the aspirations of people that appear like me is to be economically free, to be educated, to have equal entry to well being care, equal entry to illustration,” Williams defined within the interview. He later remarked, “In order that’s my job with this platform. To inform these tales and to encourage younger or outdated, you are able to do it. What can’t you do? You are able to do it, too.”
This sentiment of freedom additionally reverberated all through Abloh’s work – specifically, the Pre-Fall/Winter assortment he designed for Louis Vuitton in 2019, which was closely impressed by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
If Williams’ purpose is to carve out his personal path within the trend trade, he’s off to a powerful begin. His first present for Louis Vuitton Menswear, which debuted in Paris in June, garnered a staggering 1 billion views on-line. The present was attended by an extended record of stars together with Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Zendaya, Naomi Campbell and Kim Kardashian.