It’s no secret that Pharrell Williams knows how to set a dramatic scene. The Louis Vuitton menswear creative director demonstrated it once again, staging his latest collection inside the grounds of the UNESCO headquarters. He had the details down to the Damier check spray-painted on the grass.
Guests including song-of-the-summer singer Sabrina Carpenter and Oscar nominee Colman Domingo filed in around the 42-foot-tall symbolic globe sculpture and found their seats under the 194 flags that fly for the United Nations organization.
It made for a stunning backdrop. Now Williams is producing the tentatively titled “Atlantis,” a coming-of-age musical inspired by his life story, directed by Michel Gondry in his hometown of Virginia Beach, Va., this summer.
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Anderson.Paak is on board for a role.
“I’m going to go work on his film. I have a little, small role in it,” the singer said. It’s his second acting role, having just wrapped a K-pop-themed film. He just finished that shoot in South Korea, headed to Paris for the Louis Vuitton show, and is off to the U.S. for the “Atlantis” shoot.
“I am learning a whole lot, how to listen and how to observe,” he said of getting his acting feet. “And you know, I learned that acting is reacting. Deep, right?” he joked.
He was in a full look from Williams’ cowboy-themed Fall 2024 collection, complete with shiny gold-toed boots. He sang the praises of the flashy style.
“I love it. Like, this is what I want to wear,” he said, showing off the look. “This is real Western-inspired but still silky. It’s right up my alley down to the boots, they’re crazy.
“I think he’s just hitting the tip of the iceberg, and it’s so amazing to be someone that grew up with him as such an icon and a musical influence, to see how he’s now telling his story through fashion. He always has but to see it to this level, and to be here to be draped in it, it’s just amazing,” he said.
The multihyphenate musical talent said he would consider adding designer to that career roster. “I didn’t think I would be doing some of the things I’m doing now, so I definitely have an open mind to it.”
For Domingo, he’s seen Louis Vuitton on the runway before, but it was his first Williams show. He was having fun with his fashion, sporting pleated denim culottes.
“It’s my first Pharrell show. I have been to Nicolas [Ghesquière’s] show for womenswear, but now to be here — this vibe is cool and sexy. And the music is such a vibe. He sets the tone. Pharrell is not only an incredible musician but a great creative visionary, so you can feel it already,” said Colman as he took in the view of the Eiffel Tower peeking over the flags.
“We’re here at this great UNESCO site, which is amazing. It looks like we’re part of the world,” he said.
Alicia Vikander was wowed by the backdrop too.
“I know the theme of the show and to see all the countries and all the flags here is obviously very fitting,” she said. “It is quite a cinematic setting and very beautiful. And I think it’s going to actually fit a fashion show very well.”
But after the Pont Neuf bridge for his first collection, the Louis Vuitton Foundation for his second season and now the UNESCO building, where do we go from here?
“I feel like they up the game with every show. They just try to beat themselves every time and they’re doing such a good job. I guess they can continue forever [and] see what they come up with.”
The Louis Vuitton brand ambassador was accompanied by husband Michael Fassbender, and waiting at her seat for Ghesquière to arrive. The two share a close friendship.
“He’s here honoring Pharrell, and I feel great being able to honor Nicolas in this dress,” she said of her short, sculptural leather number. She hadn’t anticipated the humidity though. “It’s very different [for me], and it’s quite heavy,” she added.
Her film “Rumors” just world-premiered in Cannes, and “Firebrand” had its U.S. opening last week. But the actress never rests, she joked. She has a film shoot scheduled with French director Olivier Assays in October, but she’s in talks to star in another film that she will squeeze in before that.
Got7 members BamBam and Jackson Wang, both brand ambassadors for Vuitton, had a chance to catch up front row. Wang got ready with WWD earlier in the evening, after a day of hitting the gym and prepping for the evening show and after party.
Both were dressed in looks not even straight from the show — they had been custom made before they even hit the runway.
BamBam just wrapped his world tour, but teased new music. He hasn’t earned the nickname “The Spoiler King” for nothing.
“It’s coming out really soon, I would say, before the Olympics,” he said, noting the Games in just over a month’s time.
It is songs he worked on during this 10-month tour. He also injured his ankle during the tour, but said that it’s mostly healed and promised new dance moves.
Since he’s a stage veteran, would he ever walk in his custom Louis Vuitton? “I’m too short for the runway,” he joked.
It will be a season of new songs, as Swae Lee also promised a new album soon.
“I’m in the lab every day. I live in the studio right now,” he said, but couldn’t be pinned down on specifics: “ASAP.”
Elsewhere, Omar Sy caught up with basketball player Victor Wembanyama while the two posed for pics.
The show started an on-time-for-fashion — 10 minutes late — with a marching band and moody skies that set the dramatic backdrop for the collection.
