Pharrell Williams kicks off Paris Fashion Week with Louis Vuitton show at UNESCO headquarters

Louis Vuitton men’s creative director Pharrell Williams took to an outdoor, turf-lined runway at UNESCO headquarters on Tuesday, opening Paris Fashion week with an evening show. (Also Read | Paris Fashion Week brings another layer of chaos as Valentino, Givenchy, and other fashion houses abandon the season)

Pharrell Williams opens Paris Fashion Week with Louis Vuitton Spring Summer 2024 Men’s collection

The world’s biggest fashion label, Louis Vuitton, known for its checked damier patterns and monogrammed trunks, drew on a travel theme for the spring summer 2025 men‘s collection, with a towering globe sculpture, rows of international flags and — in the distance — the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop.

Models strode down the grass catwalk in crisply-tailored suits, slick bomber jackets and fur coats, with rhinestone-encrusted sunglasses and chunky, airplane-wing brooches, while an orchestra and choir performed music produced by Williams.

Who attended the Louis Vuitton show

The LVMH-owned label drew an audience of 1,500, as well as screaming crowds on the street outside, angling to catch arrivals of celebrity guests, who included NBA basketball player Victor Wembanyama, actor Michael Fassbender and K-pop star Jackson Wang. (Also Read | Ananya Panday dazzles in crystallised mini dress to Swarovski’s Milan exhibition, fans call it her Revenge Dressing era)

The Paris men’s fashion shows, which will be followed by Haute Couture week, come as France gears up for the summer Olympics, as well as two rounds of elections in the coming weeks, which have thrown the country into political disarray.

Globally, high end labels face waning appetite for fashion and accessories, with the key Chinese market a particular source of concern.