Despite pushing 50, Pharrell Williams seems to have barely aged a day since he burst on to the music scene in the early 1990s, as one half of the producer duo, The Neptunes.
Since then, his personal style has constantly evolved, cycling through fur coats (real and faux), big hats, diamond necklaces and shorts as formal wear, plus collaborations with Louis Vuitton, adidas, Moncler and Chanel, which have all helped cement his credentials as an intersection between hip-hop and fashion. As a man who helps shape trends, rather than be led by them, this shifting quality is now precisely what has bagged him the hottest job in town, as the men’s creative director at Louis Vuitton.
Look back at more than 20 years of Pharrell Williams's style in the gallery above
Williams is the successor to Virgil Abloh, who died in November 2021. He offered up a new narrative, one that had begun under Kim Jones, who famously teamed up with Supreme during his tenure of the house. Abloh steered away from traditional French codes (think white, middle class), and towards something younger, reimagined through a prism of hip-hop, street culture, architecture and music. In teaming up with black poets, artists, choreographers, stylists and models, Abloh presented Louis Vuitton as a space where all creatives were welcomed with open arms.
Since Abloh’s premature death aged 41, many names have been linked to the role. First, his long-time friend and collaborator Kanye West's name was whispered, then British menswear designers Martine Rose and Grace Wales Bonner were in the running. The sudden appearance of Williams as frontrunner earlier this week caught many by surprise, because until The Wall Street Journal broke the story about a possible link, few had any idea he was even being considered.
Twenty-four hours later, Williams had been confirmed in the role and the world seems to be at his feet. With a huge and experienced team at Louis Vuitton, Williams’s first show will be this June.
While he may be famous for his music — he has written and produced for Jay-Z, Gwen Stefani, Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake, has been the lead singer of NERD since 1999, produced and sung the hit Blurred Lines with Robin Thicke in 2013, and wrote Happy, the smash hit from Despicable Me 2 — his fashion CV is equally impressive.
In 2004 and 2008, he collaborated with Louis Vuitton, while in 2005, he launched his own fashion brand, Billionaires Boys Club, with Nigo, the Japanese designer behind A Bathing Ape, and the current creative director at Kenzo.
Merging streetwear with luxury, BBC set a deeply influential tone. Next came a sub-label called Ice Cream, and in 2014 Williams joined Bionic Yarn, a company that makes innovative fabrics out of ocean plastic, as creative director. In 2018, he worked with the jewellery house Jacob & Co and the artist Takashi Murakami to create The Simple Things, a line that made a cupcake, can of Pepsi, trainer, bottle of Heinz ketchup and bag of Doritos out of 26,000 sapphires, emeralds, rubies and diamonds, for a Murakami sculpture in Switzerland. Last year, he tied up with the jewellery house of Tiffany & Co, on a line of diamond and emerald-studded sunglasses.
In 2014, Williams teamed G-Star Raw with Bionic Yarn to create Raw for the Oceans, a collection of denim made from ocean plastic, the same year he signed a partnership with adidas, releasing a collection in July 2016.
In 2015, he became the first man to appear in a Chanel campaign, modelling bags alongside Cara Delevingne, and in 2017, he created an adidas trainer for the French house. A friend of not only Chanel but its then-creative director Karl Lagerfeld, Williams also walked on the runway for the Metiers d’Art show in December 2016, wearing pearls and a tweed coat, and was even invited to design a capsule collection, that appeared in spring/summer 2019.
And it is this merging of styles and genders that lies at the heart of Williams's sartorial success. Into the intensely masculine world of hip-hop, of low rider jeans, baseball caps and overscale fur coats, Williams has effortlessly folded in unexpectedly feminine touches, such as the Chanel tweed jacket, strands of costume jewellery, or even a Birkin bag. His love of elaborate jewellery and clothes led to the launch of his own auction site last year, Joopiter, which opened with a sale of pieces from his own wardrobe, including a diamond-encrusted astronaut and crystal-laden Stan Smith trainers.
Unafraid to jumble pieces to suit his mood, in the past he has given the suit an edge by adding a beanie, and worn a woman's pearl and diamond brooch with a tuxedo jacket. He even arrived at the Moncler 60th anniversary celebrations in a camouflage patterned suit, its trousers replaced by shorts.
As he takes the helm at Louis Vuitton, Williams becomes only the second black American man to be handed the reins, and only the head a major French house, after Abloh and Ozwald Boateng who headed Givenchy men's from 2003 to 2007.
Yet, with a proven record of being one step ahead of the curve, and an instinct for street-inspired luxury, Williams may well be the perfect fit. Louis Vuitton will want to continue the success it enjoyed with Abloh, who knew how to grab headlines (plane-shaped bags, anyone?) as well as how to craft coats, jackets and trousers that spoke of a moment, reflected a spirit and absolutely flew off the shelves.
With a name that precedes him, and a wide audience base to bring to the house, hiring Williams seems to be a canny move by Louis Vuitton, which will be looking to capitalise on his reputation and following. Having already smashed the glass ceiling by giving Abloh the top job, it is good to see that the company is invested in the path it has chosen, by selecting Williams as his successor.
Multitalented, and multifaceted, (he even has his own skincare range) Williams has the potential to be every bit as important as Abloh for the house. Inevitably, there are those frustrated at Williams's lack of formal fashion training, and already the internet is decrying new talent being overlooked for a famous name. While these are certainly valid points, in this age of instant recognition and huge sales targets, Vuitton was unlikely to pick a no-name designer; there is too much at stake.
As the main driver of the LVMH machine, Louis Vuitton is allowed to break the rules, but it is difficult to express exactly how rigid some of those rules and expectations are. For instance, some customers still resent changes brought about by Hedi Slimane at Saint Laurent and Celine (in 2012 and 2018 respectively), while the French press reluctantly supports Maria Grazia Chiuri, seven years into her tenure at Dior. Virginie Viard, who leads Chanel, is familiar with how scathing the French press and establishment can be.
Much lip service is given to fashion's need to be inclusive and offer equal representation, but there are few who have appointed head designers outside the parameters of being white or male. While we're yet to see if Williams is the answer that Louis Vuitton is looking for, is it important that a house its size and weight has, for a second time running, appointed a black man to head one of its divisions. In fact, it is a little short of revolutionary, and if this is the future that Louis Vuitton is offering us, whereever Williams takes it, it gives us all a good reason to be happy.
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Porsche Taycan Turbo specs
Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors
Transmission: two-speed
Power: 671hp
Torque: 1050Nm
Range: 450km
Price: Dh601,800
On sale: now
Titanium Escrow profile
Started: December 2016
Founder: Ibrahim Kamalmaz
Based: UAE
Sector: Finance / legal
Size: 3 employees, pre-revenue
Stage: Early stage
Investors: Founder's friends and Family
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
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The Bio
Favourite Emirati dish: I have so many because it has a lot of herbs and vegetables. Harees (oats with chicken) is one of them
Favourite place to go to: Dubai Mall because it has lots of sports shops.
Her motivation: My performance because I know that whatever I do, if I put the effort in, I’ll get results
During her free time: I like to drink coffee - a latte no sugar and no flavours. I do not like cold drinks
Pet peeve: That with every meal they give you a fries and Pepsi. That is so unhealthy
Advice to anyone who wants to be an ironman: Go for the goal. If you are consistent, you will get there. With the first one, it might not be what they want but they should start and just do it
Roll of honour: Who won what in 2018/19?
West Asia Premiership: Winners – Bahrain; Runners-up – Dubai Exiles
UAE Premiership: Winners – Abu Dhabi Harlequins; Runners-up – Jebel Ali Dragons
Dubai Rugby Sevens: Winners – Dubai Hurricanes; Runners-up – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Conference: Winners – Dubai Tigers; Runners-up – Al Ain Amblers
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Asia Cup Qualifier
Venue: Kuala Lumpur
Result: Winners play at Asia Cup in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in September
Fixtures:
Wed Aug 29: Malaysia v Hong Kong, Nepal v Oman, UAE v Singapore
Thu Aug 30: UAE v Nepal, Hong Kong v Singapore, Malaysia v Oman
Sat Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong, Oman v Singapore, Malaysia v Nepal
Sun Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman, Malaysia v UAE, Nepal v Singapore
Tue Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore, UAE v Oman, Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu Sep 6: Final
Asia Cup
Venue: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Schedule: Sep 15-28
Teams: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, plus the winner of the Qualifier
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Thanksgiving meals to try
World Cut Steakhouse, Habtoor Palace Hotel, Dubai. On Thursday evening, head chef Diego Solis will be serving a high-end sounding four-course meal that features chestnut veloute with smoked duck breast, turkey roulade accompanied by winter vegetables and foie gras and pecan pie, cranberry compote and popcorn ice cream.
Jones the Grocer, various locations across the UAE. Jones’s take-home holiday menu delivers on the favourites: whole roast turkeys, an array of accompaniments (duck fat roast potatoes, sausages wrapped in beef bacon, honey-glazed parsnips and carrots) and more, as well as festive food platters, canapes and both apple and pumpkin pies.
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, The Address Hotel, Dubai. This New Orleans-style restaurant is keen to take the stress out of entertaining, so until December 25 you can order a full seasonal meal from its Takeaway Turkey Feast menu, which features turkey, homemade gravy and a selection of sides – think green beans with almond flakes, roasted Brussels sprouts, sweet potato casserole and bread stuffing – to pick up and eat at home.
The Mattar Farm Kitchen, Dubai. From now until Christmas, Hattem Mattar and his team will be producing game- changing smoked turkeys that you can enjoy at home over the festive period.
Nolu’s, The Galleria Mall, Maryah Island Abu Dhabi. With much of the menu focused on a California inspired “farm to table” approach (with Afghani influence), it only seems right that Nolu’s will be serving their take on the Thanksgiving spread, with a brunch at the Downtown location from 12pm to 4pm on Friday.
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.6-litre V6
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 285bhp
Torque: 353Nm
Price: TBA
On sale: Q2, 2020
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Emiratisation at work
Emiratisation was introduced in the UAE more than 10 years ago
It aims to boost the number of citizens in the workforce particularly in the private sector.
Growing the number of Emiratis in the workplace will help the UAE reduce dependence on overseas workers
The Cabinet in December last year, approved a national fund for Emirati jobseekers and guaranteed citizens working in the private sector a comparable pension
President Sheikh Khalifa has described Emiratisation as “a true measure for success”.
During the UAE’s 48th National Day, Sheikh Khalifa named education, entrepreneurship, Emiratisation and space travel among cornerstones of national development
More than 80 per cent of Emiratis work in the federal or local government as per 2017 statistics
The Emiratisation programme includes the creation of 20,000 new jobs for UAE citizens
UAE citizens will be given priority in managerial positions in the government sphere
The purpose is to raise the contribution of UAE nationals in the job market and create a diverse workforce of citizens
Scoreline
Liverpool 4
Oxlade-Chamberlain 9', Firmino 59', Mane 61', Salah 68'
Manchester City 3
Sane 40', Bernardo Silva 84', Gundogan 90' 1
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
The five pillars of Islam
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
