“His eyes are 3D. One looks at spreadsheets and the other looks at culture. And when he puts them together, he gains a three-dimensional understanding of how the world works and how it will work. And that’s what we do: we have precognitive conversations.” Pharrell Williams (Louis Vuitton Men’s Creative Director) said this to Bernard Arnault (founder and CEO of LVMH) GQ last month.
This week, that foreknowledge is playing out as the 2024 edition of Art Basel Miami – and the broader Miami Art Week – kicks off. Since Arnault teamed up with Miami-born developer Craig Robins fifteen years ago, they’ve seen Magic City emerge as both a luxury hotspot and a meeting point for everyone from crypto whales to contemporary artists. Add to that Miami’s cultural intersection with Latin America and the result is one of the most dynamic and cosmopolitan urban hubs in the US.
This collection is designed in part to ride that wave. After his debut pre-fall mission to Hong Kong, Pharrell Williams sent the Volez, Voguez and Voyagez Miami chapters. Even without a show this season, the story was clearly defined. The first part was indicated by the skyline and sunset in the background, and was framed around an idea of traveling by transatlantic liner from France to Florida. The second part with a beach background was much looser cut and represented an everyday resort wardrobe for the LV man once disembarked.
Another focus of Williams’ insider knowledge here seemed to be the upcoming exhibition “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” at the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Williams, co-chair of the Met Gala opening, has made the sartorial space-taking known as dandyism a mainstay of his practice since landing at Vuitton. Here he slipped his signature sartorial silhouette – cropped boxy jacket and kicky trousers – over lush moiré suiting for evening and day with a dramatic and distinctly 1920s, flâneur-inflected twist. Double-breasted kimono sweaters and shawl-collar robes provided a convincing louche dandy alternative to fully constructed jackets in evening looks that were complemented by pearl button detailing and an oyster-shaped handbag. Details are inspired by the upholstery and include quilted leather, a new ‘denimbellish’ fabrication, needle-punched herd monogram finishes and a boat-themed ‘regatta’ monogram. The moiré signature of the season was extended to denim and a spicy green Alcantara blouson.