Louis Vuitton Takes the Pawn at Fashion Week
The dictionary puts it clearly. “Damer le pion” means “to take the pawn” or “to outperform with marked superiority.” It’s safe to say that on Tuesday 20, Pharrell Williams made a grand entrance into the fashion pantheon by delivering the most incredible of fashion shows. Held on the Pont-Neuf no less, at the foot of the Louis Vuitton headquarters, the show was a textbook definition of a hybrid concept. Blending live performance and exhibition, it epitomised the vision of the new artistic director, heralding a new era for the Maison. On this pixel chessboard formed by the brand’s checkered pattern, Pharrell has deployed an exhaustive list of openings and combinations. There’s a saying in chess that the best defence is a good attack. In this case, the strategy is purely offensive: tailoring, streetwear, preppy style, leather goods—the designer has left no piece sitting on the bench. We can conclude that the torch left burning by Virgil Abloh is once again in good hands. We will not even attempt at listing everyone we encountered enjoying the show, this photo gallery speaks for itself.
Text: Nicolas Salomon
Photos: Virgile Guinard
