Looking for pearls
Yesterday, Paris was drowned by Louis Vuitton. As Fluctuat nec mergitur, by morning it has already rescued itself from the waves generated by the storm in Pont Neuf, courtesy of Pharrel’s first fashion show as the house’s creative director. But none the less, a veritable storm has indeed engulfed the city, and in a sense, the world - or at least, that’s the narrative Louis Vuitton seem to be interested in pushing.
“One of the most anticipated events in recent fashion history—maybe all of fashion history […] Pharrell has not just upped the ante, he has launched the entire enterprise into the stratosphere […] a paradigm shift is here, one that recenters fashion in the universe of art and entertainment” - This is Noah Johnson “reporting” today on GQ. I read the story via Samuel Hine’s fashion week newsletter for the magazine - usually it’s a nice, harmless newsletter - which tallied up some pointless statistics regarding the colossal event. “24+: hours Pont Neuf and Quai du Louvre were closed for the production […] 7: songs performed by Jay-Z following the runway show” - yes, sure, that is all fine, but what about the number of interesting clothes on the runway? Semi-interesting? Nice-looking? That totals in 0.
OK, sure: the backstage photos, the detail images, might lead to a different conclusion, because, obviously, the main-d'œuvre is nothing short of staggering. I mean, goodness, just this placement of pearls [press to enlarge!], that tiny shadow each of them casts upon the fabric… You’re mesmerized. Then you return to the full shot and you slap yourself, tenderly if possible, because it is all just so stupid. All that capital, all this labor, all t h i s and what we get is… “It’s giving Minecraft”, Page Six quoted enraged fans judging Kim Kardashian’s LV front row look. Pharrell might take that as a compliment, as Johnson tells us that “the development [he’s] most excited about is the Damouflage print […] a version of LV’s famous chessboard Damier, flipped into a version of digital camo. Hence: Damouflage.” Again: So stupid. So cluncky. It’s not even catchy, which is a big insult when it comes to Pharrell. There’s no way around the fact that it carries nothing, that it brings nothing to the world. “The worst look of all time”: somehow even a Page Six headline doesn’t read as sensational but more of a considered, well-advised depiction.
One note from Johnson’s story which did ring true among the raved huff and puff is the part where Pharrell is confessing his true gift. “‘I'm serious,’ he reiterates. ‘That's the one thing I can brag about: my friends. Some people brag on money, some people brag on possession, the things that they have, but I brag on my associations.’” This level-headed quote is pretty much the sole moment where some proportions are restored. And that pause allows you, in turn, to finally indulge in some fun scene reports, such as Hine’s “Pharrell joined [Jay-Z] for Frontin’ and I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)”. Lord, these Pharrell songs. Those bangers. Those pearls! Now this is something worth closing the Pont Neuf for. Who could have imagined it’d be a good idea to take such a master out of the studio and onto the runway? Insert 3 confused emojis.
“That history brought him to the place he is now, and represents his unique ability to upend the culture. ‘I've grown with it,’ he says. […] ‘The world has shifted, clearly.’ At midnight, as the crowd exited the Pont Neuf and flooded the streets of Paris, that shift was felt acutely. This is the beginning for Pharrell and LV, but it also feels like the beginning of a new era”. Johnson just had to use all the pomp for his story finale, and I’m left wondering what kind of a new era is he implying towards. One where more LV bags will be selling compared with the brand’s current figures? Yes, we all want to feel that we’re on the cusp of ‘a new era’, but if we’ll settle for these kind of spectacles we’ll be blindsided when it actually arrives.