Pharrell Williams takes over Hong Kong for Louis Vuitton Show
Tiya Antony
Fashion News Editor
Pharrell Williams is known to many as a musician, but he is also the creative director for Louis Vuitton’s menswear. His debut collection occurred earlier this year with a show at Paris’ Pont Neuf bridge. Williams unveiled his most recent collection at Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour with a stunning skyline view, marking the first ever Louis Vuitton fashion show held in Hong Kong. South Korean actor Song Joong-ki, Chinese boy band TNT, and Chinese actor Dylan Wang are just a few examples of the most notable celebrities in attendance.
The theme of the show was travel and specifically “Hawaii to Hong Kong”, with musicians wearing sailor hats, and the outdoor runway was covered with sand and digital screens to display waves. Williams is focused on connecting various people and cultures, to show the similarities that unite people together. The collection featured mixed elements from tropical Hawaiian prints to metropolitan elements of Hong Kong like leather jackets. Some of the designs include fisherman-style sandals, tropical floral prints, elevated beachwear with embellishments, and sailing jackets. Additionally, many of the accessories had touches of the maritime theme like handbags with seashell embroidery. This theme was exquisite for Victoria Harbour, by paying tribute to the city’s history being on the coast. At the end of the show, there was a featured drone show creating the logo of the brand, LVERS, in the night sky.
William’s also described that his pick of Hong Kong was influenced by his personal collaboration and events that have occurred with the city in the past. Williams stated that Hong Kong events he attended and held a part in made him feel “incredibly supported.”
This was a large-scale pre-fall menswear show, considering that Spring-Summer or Fall-Winter lines are more prestigious for large labels. The show occurring in Hong Kong for the first time displays the expansion of Louis Vuitton across borders and into new horizons, quite literally. The first Louis Vuitton boutique in Hong Kong was made in 1979. Per capita the city’s residents spend the most on luxury goods compared to everywhere else in the world, according to Euromonitor. The absence of sales tax is a highlighting feature that also helps luxury shoppers. Dior has also announced to have a men’s pre fall collection next year in Hong Kong, in hopes to restore the international reputation of Hong Kong before the restrictions of Covid-19 travel. In 2020, Louis Vuitton debuted collection in Shanghai with a focus on bright colors, animal themes, and formal garments. There was a womenswear show hosted earlier this year in South Korea. Louis Vuitton is striving to open the fashion industry back to full swing internationally after the pandemic and hoping to stretch the opportunities further into more countries. The highly detailed show in Hong Kong was only further proving the attention that Louis Vuitton was giving to the Asian fashion market.
Contact Tiya at antonyti@shu.edu