Pharrell Williams is currently “in talks” to become the new head of Louis Vuitton Men’s, according to “people familiar with the matter” via the Wall Street Journal. At the time of writing, the announcement has not been made official by Pharrell or Louis Vuitton.
If the rumors are true, Pharrell will become the first menswear director following Virgil Abloh‘s death in November of 2021. Reports did not indicate an exact title for the vacant position, though it is likely that Pharrell will assume Abloh’s previous role as “artistic director” of menswear at the label. The brand has operated for 14 months without a permanent menswear creative director, instead opting to pay tribute to Abloh through its collections.
In January, Louis Vuitton selected KidSuper founder Colm Dillane to co-design the label’s Fall/Winter 2023 collection. Notably, Dillane was the first designer to step into the French Maison’s helm, following Abloh’s death. At the time of the announcement, however, Louis Vuitton clarified that Dillane was only co-creating the collection and that he was not Louis Vuitton Men’s new creative director.
In a statement, the brand said that the FW23 collection was designed by the Louis Vuitton men’s team “with the participation of” Dillane. “In other words, Colm is embedded into the men’s studio,” the house added.
Industry analysts previously speculated that the high seat might be given to an emerging designer, namely Martine Rose, Grace Wales Bonner or Samuel Ross. Pharrell, who was a close associate and friend of Abloh’s, is a wild card, but his potential appointment at the label is not all that unbelievable. It’s worth noting that Pharrell has wiped his Instagram, which could mean that an official announcement is coming soon.
This is a developing story. Stay tuned for more information.
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