Pharrell Williams' Louis Vuitton show dazzles with retro tailoring and Indian-inspired designs
The spring-summer 2026 collection, Williams's most impressive yet since becoming the brand's creative director of menswear in 2023, featured retro tailoring with unique combinations, such as cargo pants paired with shrunken sweaters. The collection showcased the luxury brand's latest tactic of transforming everyday items into premium versions, including striped polo shirts and boxy work shirts, all crafted with meticulous attention to detail.
Titled Paris to India, the collection drew inspiration from modern Indian sartorialism. The influence was visible in the ornate decorations on some of the trunks carried by models and a set designed by Bijoy Jain, featuring a giant hand-painted rendering of snakes and ladders, a traditional Indian game. The soundtrack included a Punjabi track co-produced by AR Rahman, adding another layer of Indian cultural influence.
While the collaboration with Indian creatives offered an authentic cultural voice, some critics raised concerns over more reductive elements, such as embroidered exotic animals, which seemed to draw from past Louis Vuitton designs created for Wes Anderson's The Darjeeling Limited. However, the collection's playful references to modern-day India, like cricket-themed striped ties and camping backpacks, added a relevant and fresh twist.
Despite some controversy surrounding Williams's work, including criticism over the symbolic placement of the Louis Vuitton logo on Doechii's cheek and the use of luxury materials, Louis Vuitton remains optimistic that Williams's star power and pop-culture-driven designs will continue to drive sales.
(Louis Vuitton and LVMH are under pressure, with the group's fashion and leather goods divisions reporting a decline in revenue during the first quarter of 2025.)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Express Tribune
India blocks celebrity accounts and YouTube channels after brief access
Listen to article India has once again blocked the social media accounts of several prominent Pakistani celebrities and Youtube channels, just a day after some accounts were briefly accessible due to what Indian officials called a 'technical glitch'. Accounts belonging to Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan and Hania Aamir remained restricted on Thursday, while those of Mawra Hocane, Saba Qamar, Ahad Raza Mir, Yumna Zaidi, and Danish Taimoor were briefly visible to users in India on Wednesday before being restricted again. The YouTube channels of former cricketers Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Akhtar along with many tv channels were also temporarily restored. Many users in India reported on social media that they were unable to access the accounts once again. According to Indian media, users once again receive a message stating, 'Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content' when accessing Pakistani accounts. The bans come in the aftermath of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed. India has accused Pakistan of backing the attackers. Pakistan has vehemently denied Indian accusations. Read: Pakistani celebrities use satire to mock India's social media ban The initial wave of account bans coincided with this conflict as several Pakistani celebrities including Fahad Mustafa, Hina Altaf and Ushna Shah criticised Indian attack that hit mosques and civilian homes. India's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has not issued a formal explanation, but sources told India Today the temporary access was due to a technical error and has now been corrected. Officials added that roughly 14,000 accounts remain banned and will be reviewed periodically based on compliance with India's digital regulations and national security laws. Read more: Hania Aamir refutes falsely-attributed statement on Pahalgam attack Separately, actor Hania Aamir, featured in Sardaar Ji 3 opposite Diljit Dosanjh, recently became the focus of renewed backlash after Indian media questioned her casting amid heightened cross-border tensions. Producers later clarified she was signed before the hostilities began. In a interview with Haroon Rashid of the BBC Asian Network, Diljit Dosanjh addressed the backlash surrounding the casting of Hania Aamir in Sardaar Ji 3, saying, "When this film was being made, the [political] situation was fine. When we shot this film in February, everything was fine. But a lot of big things are not in our hands".
Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Business Recorder
Deepika Padukone becomes first Indian to receive Hollywood Walk of Fame star
Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone is set to be the very first Indian national slated to receive Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 2026, announced the The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday. Padukone responded to the single honour with a single word, 'Gratitude', as posted on Instagram stories on Thursday. The Los Angeles landmark consists of 2,813 terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood streets. Final choices are made based on an individual's lasting impact in one or more of five fields: motion pictures, television, live performance, music and sports entertainment. The 2026 class was revealed during a live event hosted by Walk of Fame. Alongside Padukone, the upcoming group of honourees includes Demi Moore, Emily Blunt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Molly Ringwald and Noah Wyle. Shaquille O'Neal will be recognised for his achievements in sports and broadcasting. Beyond the realm of acting, Padukone is well known on the luxury brand circuit. In 2022, she became the very first Indian House Ambassador for French luxury house Louis Vuitton. She also represents luxury jeweler Cartier and has been featured twice on the cover of Time magazine and named among Time's 100 Most Influential People. 'India's moment': Bollywood's Deepika Padukone is TIME magazine's latest cover star She catapulted to fame with the film, 'Om Shanti Om' across Shah Rukh Khan in 2007 and is married to fellow actor Ranvir Singh.
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Express Tribune
India reverses ban on Pakistani channels and celebrities' accounts
Listen to article India has lifted the ban on Pakistani YouTube channels and artists' social media accounts, allowing Indian viewers to once again access to Pakistani content. Ahad Raza Mir, Mawra Hocane, Yumna Zaidi and Danish Taimoor are among the celebrities whose accounts have been reinstated. However, several accounts are still inaccessible to Indian users, including those of Mahira Khan, Fawad Khan, Wahaj Ali, Iqra Aziz, Farhan Saeed and Hania Aamir. After the April 22 shooting, which targeted tourists in Pahalgam, located in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and left 26 civilians dead, India had imposed restrictions on Pakistani YouTube channels and the social media profiles of several Pakistani actors and celebrities. Tensions between India and Pakistan further escalated in May when the Pakistan Air Force shot down six Indian jets in retaliation for missile strikes on its territory. The conflict also disrupted the release of Fawad Khan's film Abir Gulaal, starring Vaani Kapoor, with a ban. Posters featuring Pakistani stars Mahira Khan and Mawra Hocane were also removed from Bollywood movie posters on streaming platforms. Read: Instagram accounts of Mahira Khan, Hania Aamir, Ali Zafar blocked in India Indian social media users confirmed that the ban has been lifted by sharing screenshots of previously blocked Pakistani channels and accounts. Not even 3 months into the ban and Pakistani channels are back, many Pakistani actresses' Insta accounts unbanned in India, reports say India vs Pakistan Asia Cup match in September 🙏🙏 — Prayag (@theprayagtiwari) July 2, 2025 Before that, Indian users attempting to view the profiles of Pakistani actors were met with a message stating: 'Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content'. Several Indian media outlets, including India Today and Hindustan Times, also reported the lifting of the ban, confirming that access to Pakistani YouTube channels and some celebrity Instagram accounts has been restored. Earlier, Sardaar Ji 3, a Punjabi horror-comedy starring Diljit Dosanjh, became the center of controversy due to Hania Aamir's involvement. The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) and the Film Federation of India had reportedly urged the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to block the film's release due to her involvement. Ahead of the film's international release, actress Neeru Bajwa reportedly unfollowed Hania on Instagram and removed all promotional content related to the movie from her profile. Many interpreted it as a response to growing criticism in India over the inclusion of a Pakistani actor, especially amid renewed nationalist sentiment following the Pahalgam attack in IIOJK.
