Pharrell Williams named creative director of Louis Vuitton menswear, taking place of Virgil Abloh
Pharrell Williams has been named creative director of Louis Vuitton menswear, according to the fashion house.
Louis Vuitton announced Williams's new role in a news release Tuesday, calling the producer and mogul "a visionary" and a "global icon" who has poured his creative spark into many facets for more than two decades.
Williams will be taking the position that once belonged to designer Virgil Abloh, who died Nov. 28, 2021, after silently battling cancer. Williams' first collection under Louis Vuitton will be revealed in June during men's fashion week in Paris.
The Billionaire Boys Club designer has worked with Louis Vuitton on collaborations in 2004 and 2008 with his 1.1 millionaire sunglasses, which Abloh pulled from the archives during his first collection for Louis Vuitton.
"The way in which (Pharrell) breaks boundaries across the various worlds he explores aligns with Louis Vuitton’s status as a Cultural Maison, reinforcing its values of innovation, pioneer spirit and entrepreneurship," Tuesday's release said.
Williams announced his new position with a photo of himself wrapped in a Louis Vuitton blanket that he posted to Instagram.
Despite being known for producing megahits such as "Happy," "Frontin' " and "Blurred Lines," Williams has a rich history with fashion collaborations, having worked with Moncler, Adidas and Chanel.
Williams now takes the torch from Abloh, who was the first Black designer to hold a creative director position at Louis Vuitton. Williams was a close friend of the late creative.
Mourning his death in 2021, Williams wrote on Twitter: "My heart is broken Virgil you were a kind, generous, thoughtful creative genius your work as a human and your work as a spiritual being will live forever Sending love and light to your wife, children, family and day ones you’re with the Master now, shine."
My heart is broken
Virgil you were a kind, generous, thoughtful creative genius
your work as a human and your work as a spiritual being will live forever
Sending love and light to your wife, children, family and day ones
you’re with the Master now, shine
????,
P— Pharrell Williams (@Pharrell) November 28, 2021
"I am glad to welcome Pharrell back home," Louis Vuitton Chairman and CEO Pietro Becarri wrote. "His creative vision beyond fashion will undoubtedly lead Louis Vuitton towards a new and very exciting chapter."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pharrell Williams is new Louis Vuitton creative director of menswear
