PHARRELL WILLIAM IN EXCESS ATTACKING THE PONT NEUF IN PARIS FOR HIS LOUIS VUITTON COLLECTION - DayNewsWorld

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PHARRELL WILLIAM IN EXCESS ATTACKING THE PONT NEUF IN PARIS FOR HIS LOUIS VUITTON COLLECTION
On Tuesday June 20, 2023, Pharrell Williams, who succeeds African-American Virgil Abloh as head of men's collections at Louis Vuitton, presented his first collection for the French house. The multidisciplinary artist for his first collection of artistic director of the menswear lines of the flagship of the LVMH empire had for the occasion privatized the oldest bridge in Paris and sanctuarized the surroundings. "They have not yet changed the course of the Seine… Next year maybe…” laughed a journalist on Tuesday June 20 at 7:30 p.m., on a pontoon in front of the Musée d’Orsay. An exceptional event, between the arrival by boat on the Pont Neuf, the play of light starting from the Cheval Blanc hotel and the cobblestones repainted in the shape of a checkerboard, the brand's emblematic motif and at the heart of this timeless parade. And, from the outset XXL show. This privatization of the Pont-Neuf, to begin with, where 1,750 guests spread all along the building, in two rows on each side, formed like a guard of honor. With Kenzo's artistic director, the Japanese Nigo, a close friend of Pharrell Williams, the brand's fashion shows are followed by after-parties with music for everyone. But the Pharrell Williams show with a shower of stars like Beyoncé sitting in the front row next to Bernard Arnault, the CEO of LVMH and her husband, rapper Jay-Z who concluded the evening shortly before midnight with a concert on the bridge Neuf struck by its excess. What was immediately striking was a concentration of stars rarely reached outside America: Zendaya, Kim Kardashian, Jared Leto, Willow and Jaden Smith, Kelly Rowland, Naomi Campbell or Lenny Kravitz were also present in the front row. Then, as the face of the campaign unveiled just a few days ago, Rihanna appeared alongside A$AP Rocky, sparking emulation on the Pont Neuf.Among them again the personalities of Black Culture with the Formula 1 pilot Lewis Hamilton or "Denzel Washington"... "A clever result refreshing the Vuitton codes" The models, with very different physique, paraded on a huge golden carpet unrolled all along the oldest bridge in Paris, to the notes of a gospel choir and an orchestra led by the star pianist Lang Lang. The choice of gold, though not very present in the outfits, is "a nod to the sun, the central point of the collection", says Louis Vuitton. Among the silhouettes presented, it is a chic military aesthetic that emerged. The singer of the hit hit "Happy" in 2013, "by his energy, his authenticity and his frankness", in the words of his employer Pietro Beccari, has achieved a clever result refreshing the Vuitton codes, between flared pants at the bottom and looks infused with sports references. Under the sign of "African-American culture" DJ, singer, songwriter, producer who collaborates with both artist Takashi Murakami and rapper Jay-Z, Pharrell Williams, 50, is an "iconic" profile for Vuitton. He has an approach to art and the extremely popular style", commented Alexandre Samson, head of the haute couture and contemporary creation departments of the Palais Galliera, the Parisian fashion museum. adds Alexandre Samson. The former director of Fendi and Christian Dior admits: "Culture in the broad sense is important to us. Customers no longer just want products but want to hear great stories". Louis Vuitton, présent dans 72 pays avec un chiffre d’affaires estimé à plus de 20 milliards d’euros, est devenue une " marque globale ". Et avec ce défilé, une révolution artistique est en marche, qui met à l’honneur la " culture afro-américaine ". Rendez-vous pour d'autres défilés en direct comme Rains, Issey Miyake, Juun J ou encore Loewe de la semaine.

Emily Jackson for DayNewsWorld