Two years ago, if news broke that Pharrell Wiliams had announced a new collaboration, chances are you would start looking towards the charts – and not the runway. Known (among many other things) for his roles as a producer, rapper, singer and songwriter, Williams is clearly content with wearing multiple hats at once, now he has proven he can design them, too. Since he was appointed creative director at Louis Vuitton last year, Pharrell William’s first collection has been met with runaway success.
Now for Men’s Spring 2024, Williams is inviting his friends to join in the success, working with rapper and designer Tyler, the Creator on a men’s capsule collection.
The Spring 2024 Men’s Capsule Collection marks the first stand-alone collaboration for Louis Vuitton since Williams took the helm, but it is far from the first time that Tyler has worked with either him or the Maison. While the musicians are known to be long-time collaborators and friends, Tyler also composed the soundtrack for Louis Vuitton’s Fall-Winter 2022 Men’s Show – which would be William’s predecessor, the late Virgil Abloh’s, final collection.
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Neither is this Tyler’s first foray into the world of fashion. A style icon in his own right, the rapper also runs his own streetwear brand, Golf Wang, along with its high-end offshoot Golf le Fleur. This collaboration not only brings the visual worlds of the two artists together under the Maison’s signature savoir-faire, but also demonstrates a commitment from the brand to nurture the creativity of its community. As Williams put it himself: “This collaboration is unique to Louis Vuitton because it’s a natural extension of our LVERS philosophy, building on our network of incredible artists and creatives.”
The resulting capsule collection is a colorful melding of the personal styles of the men behind it: a fusion of the signature preppy sophistication popularised by Tyler with the elegant dandy dressing that Pharrell Williams has quickly established at Louis Vuitton. “There are so many elements specific to Tyler built into these pieces,” Williams continued, “it’s been inspiring to see him hone in on his craft and collaborate with him for this spring collection.”
To mark the true blending of the two creatives, the emblem at the heart of the collection is the Louis Vuitton logo hand-drawn by Tyler himself, dubbed as the ‘Craggy Monogram’. “My main focus was making things I would wear all the time,” explains Tyler, the Creator. “I dress the same in a meeting as I do a performance or grocery store trip so hand drawing the monogram felt like the perfect balance to me.”
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Collegiate knitwear and leather varsity jackets, each rendered in chocolate, vanilla and pastel colors – evoking the creamy colors and liquefied textures found in Parisian patisseries – appear alongside classic chinos and dandy LV loafers. In a playful homage to Tyler, the Creator’s own brand, golf accessories such as kit and headcovers along with towels have been crafted in the brand’s signature Damier prints, colored in bright grass green.
Other standouts are the vast range of collectibles available in the capsule, including a special edition of the Courrier Lozine 110 Trunk – reportedly the most expensive item in the capsule, available for $68,000 – and the chess board, which Tyler, the Creator not only described as his favorite piece but as “one of the greatest things I’ve made”.
Pharrell William’s Louis Vuitton Spring 2024 Men’s Capsule Collection in collaboration with Tyler, The Creator is available from select stores from March 21.
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