A collaboration between Men’s Creative Directors Pharrell Williams and Nigo, it is an artistic manifestation of a friendship for life. The proposal stages a symbiosis between an archivist and a point of reference: Nigo, whose vast archives of twentieth-century workwear inform the collection, and the stylistic expression of Pharrell Williams as a representation of the duo’s shared history in streetwear. Reflecting on Nigo’s native Japan vital to the heart of Pharrell Williams through the prism of their mutual subcultural roots, the collection salutes the place in which the fabric of their creative synergy was spun. Demonstrating a cross-pollination between the House and the two collaborators, the collection is an expression of the LVERS philosophy that defines the creative ecosystem of the Louis Vuitton Studio Prêt-à-Porter Homme: a community of likeminded humans connected by an appreciation for the discernment, savoir-faire and travel that continues to fuel future creativity. Representing the LVERS ideology, the cast features a diverse group of humans embodying the generations of tomorrow.
A set by Wonderwall – a design company founded by Masamichi Katayama – features a sphere of archival vitrines created from repurposed wood, which orbit the circular stage at the Cour Carrée du Louvre. Evoking the environment of the Louis Vuitton archives, the twenty-four display cases are curated from loans belonging to the collections of the House, Pharrell Williams and Nigo, respectively, as well as those of private collectors. Each archive unit illustrates a cultural moment in time: a concept, phenomenon or experience that impacted – or was impacted by – Louis Vuitton, Pharrell Williams and Nigo. Conversations between the past and the future, the vitrines reflect the intersections between the House and the two collaborators, as well as the creative convergences that accelerate future ideation.
Echoing the shared streetwear roots of Pharrell Williams and Nigo, silhouettes imbued with memories of the early 2000s are cut in the spirit of the future. Framed by the dandy elegance that embodies every Louis Vuitton men’s proposal, the collection stages an exchange of codes between the ideas of streetwear and dandyism.
The iconography of Louis Vuitton is re-imagined through Japanese motifs and techniques. The Dandy Monogram fuses the House’s flower emblem with shippo weaving, creating an encircled diamond pattern employed in jacquards, as sashiko stitch on denim, and as scattered crystal embroidery.
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