Paris (AFP) – Designer Pharrell Williams presented the “Paris Virginia” fashion show Tuesday night to kick off Paris Men’s Fashion Week, a trip to the American Western laced with drums and Native American motifs and an all-cowboy-and-Texan-boots look.
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This third men’s collection from star designer Louis Vuitton wanted to “illuminate the roots of the American western wardrobe”, with a nod to the length of each arm, the iconic soft travel bag with the Vuitton logo, “a fundamental instinct of the House”, according to it.
The stars, first of all the American rapper Playboi Carti, members of the K-Pop group Riize, but also the American actors Bradley Cooper and the French actors Tahar Rahim and Omar Sy, were present in the room, set up in a simple cube. at the foot of the Vuitton Foundation, in the Bois de Boulogne.
After the concert, Pharrell Williams took to the microphone again accompanied by the British group Mumford and Sons and the percussion of traditional Indian singers.
Six months ago, the American singer, who arrived at the artistic head of the brand in February 2023, made a sensational entry into the world of fashion, with a show already considered legendary for its excess on the Pont-Neuf in Paris.
This time the proposal, reminiscent of Martin Scorsese’s recent film “Killers of the Flower Moon”, refined the decor and refocused the series on very homogeneous silhouettes and a strong and readable theme.
The modern cowboy
As for silhouettes, for these modern and sensitive cowboys, denim is glazed with pearls and sequins or softened, with floral patterns.
The leather pants mimic the relief of horse saddles, and the shoulder straps for cold desert nights feature the brand’s traditional checkerboard pattern.
Antelope, denim, leather and raw materials arrive patinated, as if they have aged under the prairie sun of the great American West.
All the hallmarks of a cowboy costume are there, from a fringed jacket to a sheriff’s ascot, including a wide-brimmed hat or ankle boots.
But the indigenous touch, especially with musicians from the Dakota tribe invited to the stage, nuanced this version of the American story that could be judged as colonial.
The accessory was otherwise ubiquitous, with the vast majority of models wearing glasses in the form of two rimless mirrors.
The performance ended under artificial snowfall, which left the audience speechless, as well as the interruption of the after party by animal rights activist Peta, who was quickly evacuated by security.
The third collection
Pharrell Williams, the jack of all trades known for his hits “Happy” and “Get Lucky” with Daft Punk, is eagerly awaited for this collection, after presenting a pre-collection inspired by Hawaii in Hong Kong.
After the main building on the Champs-Elysées, the French luxury group continues to conquer the Parisian public space, despite the protests of certain elected officials, and in parallel with Fashion announces the installation of XXL bags, huge inflatable structures that have already been seen in China. Week.
In addition to this headliner, there will be big houses such as Balmain, Valentino, Dior Homme and Givenchy, who will perform without their creative director Matthew Williams who left on January 1st.
Paris Fashion Week Fall-Winter 2024-2025. follows in the footsteps of the Milanese. And it will be structured, with 42 parades and 32 presentations spread over six days, from Tuesday to Sunday.
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