As the creative director of menswear, Williams will be charged with producing two collections a year, inclusive of bags, accessories and ready-to-wear clothing. Williams’s appointment to a leading position at the world’s largest luxury brand also points to the continued cultural significance of hip-hop, further cementing its status as a global driver of fashion.

“I am glad to welcome Pharrell back home, after our collaborations in 2004 and 2008 for Louis Vuitton, as our new Men’s Creative Director. His creative vision beyond fashion will undoubtedly lead Louis Vuitton towards a new and very exciting chapter,” declared Pietro Beccari, Louis Vuitton’s Chairman and CEO. Late Tuesday afternoon, LVMH’s landing page featured a simple black-and-white photo of Williams, wearing a white T-shirt and diamond chain, with the greeting, “Welcome Pharrell!”

The 49-year-old Virginia artist collaborated with a number of major brands, among them Chanel, Tiffany, Nike and Adidas. His most well-known partnership thus far is his work with Japanese designer Nigo, founder of the streetwear company A Bathing Ape. Together, they launched the Billionaire Boys Club in 2003, a clothing, accessory and lifestyle brand aimed at blending streetwear and luxury. In the fall of 2019, Williams teamed up with David Grutman and opened both Swan and Bar Bevy in Miami’s Design District, and The Goodtime Hotel in 2021. In 2020, Pharrell founded Humanrace™, a product company with a mission to empower all individuals in their pursuit of wellbeing across product and people.

Best known for his impact in the music industry, Williams holds 13 Grammys to his name and, as well as successful runs with The Neptunes (who were first inducted into The Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020) and subsequent group N.E.R.D., which added drummer Shay Haley, he’s also had an extraordinarily successful solo career.

A longtime advocate against racial injustice, he was an integral part in the talks with Virginia Governor Ralph Northam about Juneteenth being a permanent paid state holiday and continued to make the push for it to become a national holiday.