Thirteen details in Pharrell's latest Louis Vuitton collection you might have missed
From travel to beaded garments, see why Hawaii and Hong Kong shine in the noted fashion house's new offering
This year all eyes have been on Grammy-winning musician Pharrell Williams as he became the men's wear creative director of luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton. While his recent shows have been met with positivity, Williams still has big shoes to fill as the replacement for the late Virgil Abloh.
In this collection, Williams brings in the playful storytelling that mirrors Abloh's previous inspirations that look at a number of elements of clothing, set pieces and the Parisian house's affinity for bold accessories.
Here's a look at 13 elements you may have missed in Williams' pre-fall collection.
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Neptune — the Roman god of the seas and fresh water — appears in a pattern inspired by floral shirts typical of Hawaii, as well as a denim bomber jacket embellished with pearls and crystals, a nod to the lakes and fishermen of Virginia.
Patterns familiar to sailors are reimagined with unexpected elements. Knitted cardigans feature a new infinity LV logo latticed like net, the jacquard of a suit and shorts, and the nylon sleeves of a mixed-material leather jacket.
Not only is Williams inspired by skater culture but has heavily contributed to its longevity. Naturally it made a number of appearances in the collection bridging a link with surf culture.
The surfer wardrobe materialises as scuba suits adorned with beaded logos, linen tailoring and tropical floral prints with motifs of surfers. Shoes and hats woven in raffia embody the same feeling, alongside braided beach bracelets and charm jewellery crafted from wooden beads and enamel flowers.
Ten patterns created in the Louis Vuitton studio pay homage to the tropical flower shirt that has become associated with Hawaii.
The collection’s patterns are an ode to this mindset, expressed in prints, jacquards and embellishments across shirts, shorts, suits and accessories. The floral motifs take three-dimensional form in a suede shirt and shorts with handcrafted leather hibiscus and logo appliqué.
But these are not the only shoes turning heads on the runway. The 3D-printed slip-on, the LV COBRA, is a new slip-on created with 3D-printing shoe. A breakthrough in material innovation of mixed-texture printing, it allows a seamless blend between textured and smooth materials within a single shoe.
With no assembly, stitching, or gluing involved in its production process, the LV COBRA emerges as a zero-waste design. It appears in black and cream colourways.