Day one of Paris Fashion Week and screw any time to acclimatise – we’re straight into it with one of the biggest shows on the calendar, tonight in the form of Pharrell’s SS26 outing for LVMH crown jewel Louis Vuitton. Last season, the designer enlisted BAPE mate Nigo for a collection inspired by the duo’s 2003 label Billionaire Boys Club, whilst this evening (June 24), Pharrell found inspiration in South Asia, and specifically a collection “infused with the sensory environments of India”. Here’s everything you need to know.
The invite this season took the form of a little leather keyring filled with three LV-branded dice. Guests got their first glimpse as to why when they entered the showspace. Taking over a tree-lined square outside the famed Centre Pompidou was a massive wooden structure, the floor of which was laid out like a snakes and ladders board. Designed by Indian architect Bijoy Jain of Studio Mumbai, the set turned LV’s signature monogram into numbered squares, with guests’ seats lining the sides of the giant games board.
The history buffs out there might already know that snakes and ladders originated in 2nd-century India as Moksha Patan, a game designed to teach its players about karma and morality via virtues (the ladders) and vices (the snakes). That coupled with Jain’s involvement in the show hinted that, for the upcoming collection, all roads pointed to the most populous country in the world.
Queen Bey is unsurprisingly choosy when it comes to front row appearances at fashion week, but she’s been known to make time for Pharrell more than most. In town right now for the latest dates on her Cowboy Carter world tour, the musician shimmied out of her bedazzled chaps and into a denim jumpsuit, dragging Jay-Z behind her. Also landing at the show was A$AP Rocky, who’s currently busy putting the final touches to his own SS26 AWGE collection, which is set to drop later in the week, and rounding things off was PinkPantheress, A$AP Nast, 2hollis and Pharrell’s longtime bestie and BAPE collaborator Nigo.
This season, Pharrell seemed to move away from his regular streetwear codes, and instead towards subtle tailoring and smart-casual suits. He paired shirts and ties with wide-leg shorts, loose blazers and some sharper double-breasted jackets, too. As for the trousers, they came in all kinds of styles, including a return of Pharrell’s beloved bell-bottom. The flared style was seen in several different colourways, and were sometimes deliberately extra-long, pooling on the floor at the model’s feet. Other trousers came baggy and coated, giving them a water-like sheen. Of course, classic streetwear silhouettes were still dotted throughout – from bombers and cropped-fur jackets to workwear-inspired shapes and monogrammed puffers too.
Meanwhile, a new motif emerged, this time dotted with little illustrated animals, as seen across leather jackets, slouchy bags, and those big signature trunks alike. The print was lifted directly from Wes Anderson’s whimsical 2007 outing The Darjeeling Limited, for which LV created a series of specially commissioned pieces.
As you’d expect from a house that started life as a luggage company, the accessories for SS26 were once again top tier. Those trunks-on-trollies that Pharrell loves so much were back for their fourth consecutive catwalk, this time including a clear fuschia version, a couple of square dice to go with the games board, and some with cartoon animals plastered all over them – these ones looked like a little like kid’s bedroom wallpaper. That last print was repeated over smaller trunks, totes and crossbodies, while an updated version of the Mini Soft Trunk Bag – a squishy, handheld version of the LV trunk introduced by Virgil Abloh in SS19 – was back in various iterations. Elsewhere, canvas backpacks were made in purple gradient Damier check, a bowling bag was adorned with kaleidoscopic crystals, while another had a little toad-shaped padlock hanging from its side.
Big news! For the finale, Pharrell teased an unreleased Doechii demo “Get Right”, produced by him and sampled from the M.I.A track “Bucky Done Gun”. And you heard right: Tyler, The Creator is featured on it too. Whether it’s a mere demo or the first single from Doechii’s 2025-promised debut full-length album, we’ll have to wait and see. Whilst the Florida rapper wasn’t present at the show, Pharrell did dress her for last month’s Met Gala, sporting a short-suit that would’ve fit right in on this evening’s catwalk.
Before the surprise Doechii track, a gospel choir burst into song mid-show, giving the audience a joyous performance as models stomped by. At times, it even seemed like Pharrell’s own voice was coming through the speakers, taking the choir solos himself. Rounding things off was a special arrangement of “Yaara Punjabi” by legendary Indian composer A B Rahman, and a track from Clipse, fresh from performing at Dover Street Market across FêteDe La Musique weekend.
After the models had done a lap of the board for the finale, Pharrell entered the show space carrying a little monogrammed bag to take his final bow. First he made his customary beeline for the Arnaults, graciously shaking his bosses’ hands, then he headed straight for the next most powerful couple on the front row – Beyoncé and Jay-Z. After dapping up Jay-Z, Pharrel then proceeded to hand his little purse to Beyoncé, but turns out he wasn’t just getting her to hold it for a sec – it was actually a thoughtful gift. Where do we get friends like that?
Scroll through the gallery at the top of the page for the entire SS26 collection
