Louis Vuitton named music producer Pharrell Williams as its new menswear designer, filling a role previously held by the late Virgil Abloh.
(Bloomberg) — Louis Vuitton named music producer Pharrell Williams as its new menswear designer, filling a role previously held by the late Virgil Abloh.
The appointment is effective immediately and Williams will unveil his debut collection at the Paris menswear fashion week in June, the French brand said in a statement Tuesday. LVMH stock was little changed in early trading in London.
Williams is the second Black person to hold one of the most prestigious roles at the world’s biggest fashion label. Abloh was Louis Vuitton’s menswear star designer before his death from cancer in 2021 at the age 41.
Read More: Virgil Abloh, Fashion’s Most Powerful Black Exec, Dies at 41
Williams’ “creative vision beyond fashion will undoubtedly lead Louis Vuitton towards a new and very exciting chapter,” said Pietro Beccari in his first major decision since being named the brand’s chairman and chief executive officer last month.
Williams first rose to fame in the late 1990s as part of the hip-hop production duo The Neptunes. Since then he has cemented his position as a household name with a string of Grammy Award wins, hit singles and Oscar nominations.
Like Abloh, who is remembered for his influence on streetwear and sneaker culture with his brand Off-White, Williams is also an apparel entrepreneur. In 2003, he and Japanese designer Nigo founded Billionaire Boys Club, a clothing, accessories and lifestyle brand. Nigo is now the artistic director of LVMH’s Kenzo.
Since then Williams has worked with other brands, including German sneaker maker Adidas AG, and has founded skincare brand Humanrace.
Cash Cow
Louis Vuitton is the juggernaut that helps power the wider LVMH luxury empire founded by the world’s richest person Bernard Arnault. Sales at the label crossed €20 billion ($21.4 billion) last year and although LVMH doesn’t break down numbers by brand, analysts at HSBC have estimated Louis Vuitton generates about half of the group’s annual profit.
“Louis Vuitton is far more than just a fashion company,” Arnault told analysts and reporters a year ago. “In fact, it’s not a fashion company, it’s a culturally creative company that reaches out to a very important customer base.”
Louis Vuitton’s menswear shows have become the go-to events during Paris Fashion Week. In the past year, musicians such as Tyler The Creator, Yasiin Bey (formerly known as Mos Def), Kendrick Lamar and, last month, Spanish star Rosalia have performed for the guests attending the shows, giving the brand unparalleled visibility in the age of Instagram posts.
Williams himself is close to LVMH. In the past year, he’s attended Kenzo’s shows in Paris and worn diamond sunglasses by Tiffany & Co., both LVMH labels. The artist also did collaborations with Louis Vuitton in 2004 and 2008.
What Bloomberg Intelligence Says
Success at LVMH’s biggest divisions — Fashion & Leather Goods (led by Louis Vuitton’s sales of €20 billion-plus) — is supported by the confirmation of Pharrell Williams becoming Menswear designer for Louis Vuitton. His well-rounded and awarded creative vision, both in and away from fashion, underpins LVMH’s ability to extend growth at the pinnacle of luxury goods.
– Deborah Aitken, BI luxury-goods analyst
LVMH Boosts LV Success With Pharrell Menswear Appointment: React
Luxury mega-brands are increasingly mixing and integrating with the arts, said Bernstein analyst Luca Solca in a note to clients. This is particularly the case with Louis Vuitton, he said, noting it recently had a global collaboration with Yayoi Kusama, a Japanese contemporary artist, which included placing Kusama’s famous polka dots on Louis Vuitton bags and running a major ad campaign on various billboards across the world.
Louis Vuitton’s womenswear design is led by artistic director Nicolas Ghesquiere. Christian Dior Couture, the group’s second-biggest brand, is now headed by Delphine Arnault, Arnault’s eldest child, who took the role following Beccari’s promotion.
Read more: The World’s Richest Person Is Trying to Head Off a Succession Battle
LVMH’s performance is surpassing rival Kering which reported a slump in revenue Wednesday as its key brand Gucci took a severe sales hit caused by disruptions in China.
–With assistance from Kim Bhasin and Deirdre Hipwell.
(Updates with shares and analyst comments from second paragraph)
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