According to reports on Tuesday citing “people familiar with the situation,” Louis Vuitton is in talks to appoint American musician and entrepreneur Pharrell Williams as the artistic director of its menswear division.
A representative of Louis Vuitton’s parent company, LVMH Mot Hennessy Louis Vuitton, declined to comment on the rumours. A spokesman for Williams was not immediately available.
The Wall Street Journal and Le Figaro were the publications that first mentioned Williams. Since the unexpected death of Virgil Abloh in November 2021, the position has been vacant, fueling the industry rumor mill.
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With names like Martin RoseGrace Wales Bonner and Samuel Ross said they were shortlisted, observers assumed Vuitton would pick an up-and-coming designer or someone completely unrelated to the fashion industry.
Since Pietro Beccari replaced Michael Burke, who ran the world’s largest luxury company for a decade, as chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton on February 1, an announcement is expected soon.
Louis Vuitton is in talks to hire Pharrell Williams as chief designer for men, the Wall Street Journal reports. pic.twitter.com/Ipnejwmpa6
— PopBase (@PopBase) February 14, 2023
Vuitton has continued to host high-profile men’s shows featuring live performances by artists such as Tyler, the Creator, Kendrick Lamarand Rosala, despite the lack of a creative director, underscoring the company’s goal of producing 360-degree entertainment experiences for a global online audience of millions.
Colm Dillane, the creator of KidSuper, was hired by the house in January as a guest designer for Fall 2023, sparking rumors that he would get the job full-time.