Pharrell Williams’ Louis Vuitton Collection Strikes a Dreadful Note

Kanye West is not a technician. He did not write most of his famous lyrics, play instruments on his most acclaimed songs, or even serve as the primary producer on his albums. But it is easy to forget that before his unmedicated or self-medicated collapse into severe bipolar disorder and antisemitism, the man was renowned for his taste. He had a vision for what he wanted to make, and not only was he good at communicating it to his collaborators and refining it, but he also knew who to pick to make it a reality. It’s why he was such a talented multidisciplinarian, finding success as a rapper, producer, self-marketer, and fashion designer. Yeezy’s impact remains underappreciated.Were it not for his erraticism, Kanye likely would have become Louis Vuitton’s menswear creative director, replacing Kim Jones. Mr. Jones had brought the brand back into relevance with the streetwear generation, and though his impact faded over time, LVMH executives wanted to build on that progress. But rather than pull in Mr. West, they turned to his chief creative collaborator, the brilliant, late Virgil Abloh. And after his sudden death — at just 41, in 2021, from cardiac angiosarcoma, a rare cancer — the brand needed someone to carry on his legacy.They ultimately picked Pharrell Williams — like Mr. West, a famed producer with equally famed taste. Critics had long praised his sense of style, and LVMH thought he would be a worthy addition to the brand.But unlike Mr. West, Mr. Williams is a technician. He is someone who steps in and dictates precisely what he wants, and he lacks the high-fashion experience to make original, compelling work. For four seasons now, Mr. Williams has also composed and produced the soundtracks for his shows, which are set on beautiful, theatrical stages. But the clothes are flashy, overly literal, and boring collections. And that has never been more apparent than in its latest collection.The set design was stunning, with an enormous wave curling over a liminal beach — and the clothes were seasonally inappropriate and bland. Why does this warm-weather collection feature fur-lined puffer jackets and heavy wool coats? Why is the layering almost identical to that of previous winter collections, including those shown in the middle of Parisian winter?He attempts to skirt this by pairing oversized jackets with athletic shorts, but they all looked clumsy and rough. He personally wears versions of this template off the runway but, once again, being adept at personal style doesn’t necessarily translate to managing a storied, luxury brand.Louis Vuitton Spring / Summer 2027. Courtesy of Louis VuittonCritics have deluded themselves into saying this Spring Summer 2027 range is more wearable than his previous collections, but it’s not. Any differences are minor, and the “uniform wardrobe” take requires that you ignore items like alligator-leather jackets. The suits are a graceless continuation of the relaxed, creative tailoring that Mr. Jones and Mr. Abloh mastered, and when models start walking out in monogrammed swimwear carrying a custom bicycle, or in palm-print suits with a surfboard under an arm, it’s hard not to feel embarrassed.As usual, accessories were central to this menswear collection — and to LVMH’s profits — and as usual, they disappointed.One of Mr. Williams’ first accessories as creative director was a new take on Louis Vuitton’s signature Speedy bag, made of a softer leather that slumps when the bag is set down. It comes in a range of bold colors, with yellow and green as the standouts, and it’s a fun, creative, distinct yet wearable bag. But that promising start has been followed by nothing but disappointment. In the latest collection, the bags swing between bland and ugly; the laceless, slim-soled shoes are a bad take on Jonathan Anderson’s style; the Ugg knockoffs are a joke; and then come the collection’s only viral item, the Louis Vuitton Combi.Courtesy of Louis Vuitton / Louis Vuitton on InstagramSetting aside the funky shape of the toebox, they’re a flagrant rip-off of the Vans Authentic, which Vans has rightfully called out. Yes, they have Vachetta tan leather tabs at the heel and toe, slightly chunkier laces, and a chunkier heel — but this was clearly Mr. Williams asking his footwear designers to make a Louis version of the silhouette. Plimsoll sneakers are a long-established style, and Vans itself took its design from Keds, but this is a brazen lift from Vans. The sneaker’s name — “Combi” — seems to come from the Volkswagen van, and the fact the house paired them with checkerboard bags and blazers only rubbed it in further.Oh, and the crocodile-leather ones from the show may retail for $7,000. They’re unoriginal, uninspired, tacky, and overpriced. That happens to be a pretty good summary of the rest of Pharrell’s new Louis Vuiton collection.

Pharrell Williams’ Louis Vuitton Collection Strikes a Dreadful Note

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