The debut of multi-talented star Pharrell Williams at Louis Vuitton is the hottest ticket at Paris Fashion Week, which kicks off on Tuesday. The appointment is seen as a significant moment in the evolution of the multibillion-dollar industry.
The renowned musician, DJ and producer takes over as creative director for the fabled French brand, hoping to build on the shift towards US streetwear that helped it achieve more than $22 billion in revenue for the first time last year.
Williams, 50, offered a teaser on social media, sharing a photo of himself in front of the Orsay Museum featuring a giant hoarding of singer Rihanna, heavily pregnant and sporting some colourful Louis Vuitton bags.
"It's unprecedented for a label at this level – a designer arriving with a first menswear campaign that features a woman ... He is giving us an early taste," said Pierre Alexandre M'Pele, editor of GQ France.
Williams faces a major challenge filling the shoes of Virgil Abloh, the former Kanye West sidekick who breathed new streetwear-infused life into Louis Vuitton prior to his tragically early death from cancer in 2021.
But Williams has long been a red carpet sensation, known for daring outfits that go far beyond the usual hip-hop stylings, and a string of collaborations with Chanel, Moncler and Tiffany – as well as Louis Vuitton.
"Williams has been living in hip-hop, and looking into the future, for more than 20 years, a valuable perspective for a luxury men's wear world that has already absorbed hip-hop and is hoping to divine what might come next," the New York Times wrote after his appointment.
Other menswear newcomers to watch for
Williams's arrival comes at a time when men's fashion feels like the more exciting side of the industry.
"Men's fashion took years to find fertile ground for evolution, but it's now doing so more visibly than womenswear," said fashion consultant Pascaline Wilhelm.
"The way gender, masculinity and femininity are being called into question at the moment allows it to be much more creative without falling into caricature," she added.
One of the newcomers making a mark is Burc Akyol, a French-Turkish designer who is joining the official fashion week for the first time, showing just before Williams on Tuesday.
His label, formed in 2018 after apprenticeships with Dior and Balenciaga, has already attracted the support of Cate Blanchett and Cardi B with his elegant, non-gendered style.
"There are several talents in Paris who are following this idea of non-gendered fashion. Or at least, the clothes are not gendered," said M'Pele.
Not that this should be seen as entirely a modern phenomenon, he added. "Several centuries ago, men wore dresses and high heels."
One big name that is not returning this week is Saint Laurent.
Its artistic director Anthony Vaccarello made a surprise appearance at the last menswear week in Paris for the first time, but has preferred to stay away from the big fashion showcases and give one-off shows in places like Berlin, Malibu and Venice.
Celine's designer Hedi Slimane, considered one of the most influential names in menswear, also likes to follow his own rhythm, and is holding his next Paris runway show a couple of weeks after everyone else on July 3.
The%20specs
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Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm
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FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
The specs
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Specs
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Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
