The rules of the game are simple. Hit up the Louis Vuitton SS26 Men’s show at Paris Fashion Week, do not pass “GO,” do not collect 200. Take your seat on the runway that looks like a giant game of Snakes and Ladders, and wait for Pharrell to roll his dice. As per, we already know what he’s going to roll: a double six, and he’s winning.
Today in Paris, the fashion world tuned into Pharrell’s latest Louis Vuitton Menswear show at Place Georges-Pompidou, along with the many A-list guests that always line his FROW, including Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Future, J-Hope, Spike Lee, and more. Sat in the heat on a runway that was designed to look like a gold and white Snakes and Ladders board, with striped serpents winding along the floor, we waited for the spectacle to begin.
And it’s true that Pharrell’s shows are always a spectacle. From the looks, to the showspace, to the atmosphere, to the music, he knows how to entertain a crowd, and this season was no different. But before I even start talking about the clothes, which were dripped out in diamonds and damouflage as usual, we need to talk about the soundtrack.
The show opened to theatrical brass and strings, building momentum before an insanely addictive beat kicked in. That track then transformed into something that felt like it could be played behind The Legend of Zelda, feeding into the gaming nostalgia of the collection, before Pharrell gave his ode to God in a gospel-style breakdown with the lyrics “miracle worker.”
Then, a brief Bollywood-inspired intermission that was so catchy I’m still hearing it, before the moment we’ve all been waiting for: last season, Don Toliver debuted his new track “LV Bag” on the runway at Louis Vuitton FW25, and we've been wondering who'd do the same at SS26. This season, Tyler, the Creator and Doechii - both close friends of the house - linked up to drop a never-been-heard-before track as the SS26 show came to a close. Pharrell really just gets it, huh.
You might be thinking “OK, but we’re not here bc Pharrell’s good at music; we’re here bc of the clothes,” and I hear that. I’m getting to it. The collection itself was drenched in effortless steeze: tailoring was loose, casual, unbuttoned; accessories were opulent and bejewelled. There were also elements of practicality amidst the more elevated pieces, like zips at the knees of a pair of khaki trousers that would let you transform them into shorts.
Shiny, embossed pieces like a silver bomber jacket or tie were stiff, as though coated in something metallic and unable to move with the wearer. And Pharrell reminded us why he's the unofficial king of knitwear with a selection of thick-knitted cardigans with different coloured cords and cropped knitted jackets that, paired with loafers, had Tyler, the Creator's name all over them. We know he was drooling over this whole collection ngl.
A selection of tie-dyed bags steeped in sunset purple, blue, and pink hues were kind of reminiscent of the watercolour shades of Marc Jacobs' link up with artist Richard Prince when he was at Louis Vuitton in the '90s, save for the poems written on the sides. An exclusive collab came in the form of palm tree and animal motifs on leather goods, tailored suits, and bomber jackets. Originally designed for the movie “The Darjeeling Motif” dir. Wes Anderson, they were reworked for Louis Vuitton.
We left Louis Vuitton's SS26 Menswear show feeling like we'd seen a movie, been to a concert, and watched what might be the best runway show of this season all the space of five minutes. But, from Pharrell, we would expect no less.
Featured image via Getty©
More on Culted
