Pharrell’s Louis Vuitton show in Hong Kong was a homage to his ‘Asian siblings’, says the star of the Hawaii-inspired pre-fall 2024 menswear collection at the Avenue of Stars

Dec 1 , 2023

Pharrell Williams takes a bow at the end of the Louis Vuitton men’s pre-fall 2024 show at the Avenue of Stars in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Louis Vuitton took over the Avenue of Stars in Hong Kong’s Tsim Sha Tsui to reveal its men’s pre-fall 2024 collection, designed by men’s creative director Pharrell Williams. The whole city had been looking forward to the mega show and even government entities such as the Hong Kong Tourism Board were involved in the project.

While the event lacked the star wattage of Williams’ Paris debut in June – which attracted celebrities such as Rihanna, Beyoncé, Jay-Z and Kim Kardashian – the sheer number of VIP clients from mainland China and beyond showed the importance of the region to the LVMH-owned label.

A model in a look designed by Pharrell Williams for Louis Vuitton during its men’s pre-fall 2024 show in Hong Kong, on November 30. Photo: Reuters

The premise of the collection – presented at night against the backdrop of the city’s dazzling Victoria Harbour skyline – was to show a Hong Kong businessman travelling to Hawaii, but then having to interrupt his trip to go back to the city for an urgent meeting, Williams explained in a pre-show interview.

“The archetypes that we chose were a sailor and someone on holiday – there’s a lot of floral inspiration and a deep dive into exotic colourways and interesting pairings of colours,” Williams said. “The silhouette is consistent with what I’m infatuated with when it comes to formal, which is the future of chic: dandy. There’s a lot of dandy in the sailor silhouette and the resort holiday silhouette – an explosion of colours in a super subtle way.”

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Elements of Williams’ personal style – a sort of polished prep with a mix of streetwear and just the right amount of bling – were peppered throughout the collection, which had a tropical and nautical vibe, but also some soft tailoring inspired by sailors’ uniforms.

The best looks were the ones that nodded to the carefree vibe of Hawaii: sequinned aloha shirts paired with matching shorts, embroidered bomber jackets and scuba suits.

Hawaii-inspired prints were a major theme of the show. Photo: AP

A look from the collection, featuring a Speedy bag. Photo: Handout

Unsurprisingly from a label known for its bestselling leather goods, there were bags aplenty, from beach-ready Damier Raffia totes to monogram Keepalls. Sunglasses, berets, chain jewellery and more accessories completed the looks.

Williams, who joined Louis Vuitton less than a year ago, said that he came up with the idea of showing in Hong Kong even before being officially appointed as men’s creative director. “When I presented the plan for everything I wanted to do, from clothes to themes and campaigns, I walked in knowing that I wanted to work with Rihanna and have LeBron as a face, and that Hong Kong would be the place for the second show,” he said.

The music producer and entrepreneur has a long history with the city going back three decades. He was also the first international celebrity to visit Hong Kong after it fully reopened its borders following more than two years of border closures due to the coronavirus pandemic earlier this year. He has a lot of friends in the city and affectionately refers to them as his “Asian siblings”.

Soft tailoring paired with chic berets appeared throughout the collection. Photo: Handout

Williams expressed how excited and honoured he was to show in a place that has always been good to him both in his career and personal life. “People here have gone through a lot and my Asian siblings have been good to me over the past 30 years, supporting me and always championing me and never leaving my side, so when I got this appointment I felt that, of course, I wanted to come here,” he said.

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The pandemic and, before that, the 2019 protests deeply impacted Hong Kong’s economy and reputation as a global hub, but Williams believes that the city and its people are ready “to soar again” – something he witnessed first-hand in the enthusiasm he’s seen while working on the show.

A light show displayed the word “LVers” above Hong Kong’s skyline at the end of Louis Vuitton’s men’s pre-fall 2024 show. Photo: Handout

The spectacle ended with a powerful celebration of the iconic Louis Vuitton logo: a light performance spelled the word “LVers” above the Hong Kong skyline, sending a message of positivity that was meant by Williams and his team as “an ode to the core values that bind us together”.

Louis Vuitton

For its men’s pre-fall 2024 show, Louis Vuitton decamped to Hong Kong for a spectacular outing against the backdrop of the city’s dazzling Victoria Harbour skyline
While Rihanna, Beyoncé and Kim Kardashian watched his Paris Fashion Week debut, plenty of VIP clients turned up to see this new tropical-inspired collection, with plenty of nods to his personal style