Paris, 14 February 2023 – Louis Vuitton is pleased to announce the appointment of Pharrell Williams as Creative Director of Menswear, effective immediately. His first collection for Louis Vuitton will be presented during Paris Men's Fashion Week in June this year.
As a visionary, Pharrell Williams' visionary vision blends the multicultural realm of music, art and fashion, and has become a cultural icon that has taken the world by storm for nearly two decades. His approach to creating that pushes boundaries in all fields is in line with Louis Vuitton's creativity, pioneering and entrepreneurial spirit.
Pietro Beccari, Chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton, said: "I am delighted to have Pharrell back in our family, having worked with Louis Vuitton in 2004 and 2008 and now officially taking over the role of Creative Director of Menswear. His creative vision beyond fashion will undoubtedly lead Louis Vuitton to an exciting new chapter. ”
Louis Vuitton
Biography of Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Williams is a visionary recording artist, producer, composer, philanthropist, fashion designer and entrepreneur. To date, its musical works have 10 billion flows worldwide. He has won 13 Grammy Awards, including Producer of the Year in 2004, 2014 and 2019, and the ASCAP Golden Melody Award in 2012. He was nominated for two Academy Awards for his original theme song "Happy" for Despicable Me 2 and co-production of "Hidden Figures" (nominated for Best Picture in 2016). In addition, as the co-producer of the film's soundtrack, Williams was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award. In 2019, Williams was nominated for an Emmy for his original song "Letter to My Godfather." The song was written for Clarence Avant, the legendary godfather of music on Netflix's Black Godfather. In 2020, Williams was inducted into the Creators' Hall of Fame as a member of "The Neptunes" ace music production group.
In 2018, Williams narrated the classic film "The Grinch" for Universal Pictures, published the book A Fish Doesn't Know It's Wet, and co-launched the Netflix original series Brainchild (2018) with producer Mimi Valdés. Williams' credits include Dope (2015), Roxanne Roxanne (2017), Voices of Fire (2020), Amazon's Harlem (which has been renewed for a second season), and Lena Waithe's HBO Max series Rollin'.
In 2019, Pharrell founded YELLOW, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping youth get back on track and reach their full potential through education. In 2020, Williams launched Black Ambition, a nonprofit initiative to support African-American and Hispanic start-up entrepreneurs in the technology, healthcare, Web 3.0, and consumer products/services industries. A staunch anti-racism advocate, Pharrell also participated in talks with Virginia Governor Northam to make Juneteenth a permanent paid state holiday. In April 2019, Williams founded SOMETHING IN THE WATER. The festival lasts for many days, with the first being held in its hometown of Virginia Beach. This summer, during Juneteenth (June 17-19), Williams brought SOMETHING IN THE WATER to Washington, DC. THIS APRIL, SOMETHING IN THE WATER RETURNS TO VIRGINIA BEACH TO CONTINUE ITS MISSION OF EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES.
An accomplished fashion designer and entrepreneur, Pharrell is the director of several apparel brands such as Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream. In the fall of 2019, Williams partnered with David Grutman to start Swan and Bar Beevy in Miami's Design District, followed by a hotel called "The Goodtime Hotel" in 2021. In 2020, Pharrell founded Humanrace™ to advocate for people-centered sustainable skincare products for the masses. A staunch anti-racism advocate, Pharrell also participated in talks with Virginia Governor Northam to make Juneteenth a permanent paid state holiday and to continue to promote making it a national holiday.