For his second men’s fall 2024 collection for Louis Vuitton, Pharrell Williams looked to American indigenous cultures and the American cowboy for inspiration. Similar to Williams’ debut collection, Williams’ is diligently putting his own personal stamp on the historic French luxury house.
By injecting American themes into his Louis Vuitton men’s collections, Williams is making a dramatic statement of his intention of redefining Louis Vuitton’s men’s collection as a luxury menswear line that is reinterpretation luxury for the modern consumer and as a brand that is establishing deep roots in urban culture.
While some fashion purists may be outraged at this direction—though Virgil Abloh set the brand on this path under his auspice with less vitriolic discomfort—all luxury fashion brands are struggling to attract younger consumers as their previous consumer base is purchasing far less merchandise or is dying off. Williams, aware of changing demographics, understands that urban culture is a central motivating force among young consumers. Williams is also uniquely aware that Asian and black consumers have outpaced white buyers when it to comes purchasing luxury goods. With those two facts in mind, his creative overhaul of Louis Vuitton is necessary.
Creatively and politically this collection is noteworthy. By conjuring up images of American indigenous cultures, Williams is making a statement on the lack of American indigenous aesthetics in luxury fashion. But this political statement doesn’t just stop there. Williams includes American indigenous craftsmen and indigenous models in this fall 2024 collection.
While this collection was heavily inspired by American themes, this sophomoric collection contained more creative expansiveness than Williams’ debut collection. Williams’ first collection for Louis Vuitton men was more about William making a signature statement about his arrival at the iconic luxury house and injecting his personal aesthetic onto Louis Vuitton. And while this collection was heavy on Williams’ design aesthetic, Williams found an ingenious way of injecting indigenous cultures without pandering and appropriating American indigenous cultures the way some have in the past.
Williams used American indigenous cultures as a starting point to bring in the influences of an expansive masculinity, streetwear culture, and redesigned denim. Additionally, Williams helps consumers see indigenous cultures in a more modern and innovative way.
Williams overtly drew inspiration from not only native cultures, but all the appropriated visions of native cultures found in cinema evidenced in the fancifully imprinted denim chaps and wide-legged pants, Country Western jackets, duster coats, and fringed leather jackets. He also found a very interesting way to incorporate the ‘Damoflage’ Louis Vuitton signature print in a way that evokes Western cowboy culture.
Image courtesy of Filippo Fior/gorunway.com
With this collection Pharrell Williams is proving that he is not a one-hit wonder for Louis Vuitton, but that he is continuing to expand the brand to a more global audience with fresh, innovative ideas. Williams brings so much of what consumers desire in present time, next for Williams is injecting a bit more luxury into this luxury behemoth and creating what consumers want before they know they want it. The best is yet to come!!
—William S. Gooch
Speak Your Mind