Louis Vuitton (Instagram) just invited us to play! Because for SS26, Pharrell isn’t just staging a show, he’s setting the rules. Louis Vuitton’s latest menswear collection unfolds across a life-size ancient Indian game of Snakes and Ladders at Place Georges Pompidou, Paris, where every look was a move, and the runway became a board blending cultural craftsmanship rooted in rich Indian history.
And the first thing we notice? The bags aren’t following the outfit, they’re leading it. The Speedy P9, Pharrell’s new icon, stole the spotlight in every possible size and version: intricate Indian-inspired embroidery, pastel ostrich, ombre indigo, painted stripes, and even a carpet-like tree-of-life weave.
Speaking of bags, the Gem-studded hobos, monogrammed travel trunks, and butter-soft leather pieces flex the house’s travel roots with quiet extravagance. Bags aren’t just part of the look. They are the look.
The colour story speaks in earth tones: mud browns, burnt rust, clay, and washed purples. It’s a palette grounded in the land, deep, saturated, and sun-faded. You don’t wear these shades; you grow into them.
Silhouettes, meanwhile, are softened and layered with intention. We see boxers peeking beneath oversized shirts, trenches floating over puffers, and waistcoats in cream and lavender paired with mismatched checks and stripes. Tailoring comes easy, not stiff, relaxed, yet precise.
Even the denim plays along earthy, warm, and undyed, woven from naturally pigmented cotton in the hue of roasted coffee beans. It doesn’t shout for attention, but holds its own. Seen in matching sets, shirts with shorts, it slips effortlessly into the line-up
Footwear? Grounded yet elevated, with new takes on the Buttersoft sneakers, minimal leather flip-flops, and embellished hiking boots and somehow it works.
The real inspiration is reflected in the details, embroidered hoods, metal-woven shell suits, it’s a fusion of craft, charm, and storytelling that unfolds in one sweeping gesture. All of it nods to Louis Vuitton’s roots in travel and global artistry, connecting cultures through precision, polish, and savoir-faire.
Then there’s the Darjeeling Limited motif, originally designed by Louis Vuitton for the 2007 film, made a thoughtful return, resurfacing on holdalls, jackets, and roomy carry-alls. It added a layer of cinematic nostalgia to a collection already rooted in wanderlust. Ombre-washed monograms, velvety leather hobos, and travel pieces embroidered with wildlife details. It’s Pharrell’s most direct cinematic nod yet and it’s instantly collectable.
The entire show moves to the rhythm of a Pharrell-produced original soundtrack, featuring artists like Voices of Fire, A.R. Rahman, Clipse, Doechii, and Tyler, the Creator. The music doesn’t just underscore the show, it embodies it, turning the Pompidou into a live-wire soundstage of connection and cultural exchange.
This isn’t fashion. It’s philosophy.
A cultural conversation stitched in soft tailoring, played out on a giant board of possibility. And if this is a game, one thing’s clear: Pharrell’s running the game and he and Louis Vuitton are already several moves ahead.
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