As Pharrell Williams‘s new Louis Vuitton appointment sends shockwaves through the fashion world, the “Happy” singer is reminding the public of where it all began.
This week, Louis Vuitton named Williams as the new creative director of men’s fashion for the luxury brand, a role that’s been vacant since previous creative director Virgil Abloh’s tragic passing in November 2021. Williams’s first menswear designs for the brand are scheduled to be shown at Men’s Fashion Week in Paris this June, but it won’t be the singer-songwriter’s first time designing something for LV, as he reminded fans on Instagram days after the official announcement.
In a social-media post captioned, “Where it all started,” Williams shared photos of the styles he has designed with Louis Vuitton in the past. The first photo shows the producer at the fashion house’s 150th anniversary party in 2005, wearing a Louis Vuitton bandana across his face. A year earlier, Williams had his first collaboration with the brand: a 2004 line of “Millionaire” sunglasses under the creative direction of Marc Jacobs—a pair of which is shown in the second photo of the singer’s post.
Jacobs worked with Williams and Japanese designer Nigo on the line of aviator-inspired sunglasses featuring a monogrammed gold trim. The style was so popular that it was re-released in 2007 with new colorways and was resurfaced by Abloh for his first LV collection in 2018.
In 2008, Williams worked with Louis Vuitton once again, this time on a jewelry collection designed alongside Camille Miceli, who is now the artistic director at Pucci. Beyond his design collaborations with the brand, the famed producer has been present at a number of the house’s milestone events and runway shows over the years—and has shown his support by wearing its designs at both red carpet events and in everyday life. His Instagram post also the singer sporting a red Louis Vuitton jacket and black Louis Vuitton tie.
Marc Jacobs commented on Williams’s Instagram trip down memory lane with nothing but support for his former LV collaborator, writing, “and, can’t wait to see where it’s all going!”
