All the publicity and events leading to Pharrell William’s Louis Vuitton debut means the collection will be very well-liked. There is no other way

Pharrell Williams at the top. Photo: Louis Vuitton/Instagram

It’s twelve hours before the Louis Vuitton show in Paris. We are having coffee, 11,000km away, and thinking about what to expect from the Pharrell Williams debut at the house. Admittedly, we feel we have been here before, also in June, five years ago, when Virgil Abloh launched his debut for LV. And, as it was, we are unable to say that we will be delighted very soon. Two boys—no more than sixteen—seated at the table next to us are carrying LV bags. One of them has a Mini Soft Trunk, its chain handle, first introduced by Mr Abloh, sits close to a cheese cake, still not eaten. The other fellow has with him the Trio Messenger, its attendant coin purse detached and unzipped, and a pair of corded earphones (surprise!) is partially seen. Both of them, barely talking, do not appear to be anticipating the LV presentation. Unable to contain our curiosity, we ask them, “Are you excited about Pharrell Williams’s collection for LV?” Both of them returned blank stares at us, and one replied, “Who?”

The respond is surprising considering that Mr Williams has not been quiet. Leading up to the show, he has been promoting his debut show with LV. On his Instagram page five days ago, he shared an image of him posing in front of an unmissable billboard that starred Rihanna. It reminded us of his predecessor’s first ad for the brand he was heading. It featured a 3-year-old black boy. There, too, was a black child in the image Mr Williams shared; only thing is, the kid wasn’t born yet. On LV’s IG page, a photo of Mr Williams sitting on top of a trio of trunks was shared two days ago (two more shout-outs followed), with the announcement of Mr Williams’s appointment and the show venue, date and time, and when you can watch the show live. It is amazing the creative director had time to put together a collection for a high-profile launch.

Pharrell Williams with Sarah Andelman at the opening of Just Phriends. Photo: pwilliamsworld/Instagram

The ads and the social media shares aren’t all. Mr Williams has been involved in various activities that has indirectly spotlighted the show to come. There is the Just Phriends exhibition in Paris (coincidence?) that is also an auction, organised by Mr Williams’s recently created auction house Joopiter and Sarah Andelman of Colette (long closed) fame that will dispose the rapper/designer’s possessions that he no longer loves. And there is also the pop-up café, co-presented with Adidas, that is themed after the Samba Humanrace sneaker. Their coffee is served in The Broken Arm multi-label store in, where else, Paris. These multiple engagements are amazing to the rest of us with a full-time job. Would our bosses be agreeable to us doing work with others who might be competitors?

Other designers taking on new appointments at luxury houses are not similarly blessed. We do not remember Matthieu Blazy’s first season at Bottega Veneta to be preceded with such intense excitement that involved him doing a myriad of things not linked to the house. Even those from LVMH’s stable of brands, Kim Jones taking over Dior Men or Jonathan Anderson assuming the reigns at Loewe, went about their new duties fairly uneventfully. It could be said that Mr Williams, unlike the rest, do not have real design skills, and therefore, require the additional push. Clear it is that the buzz and related activities created around Pharrell Williams are designed to ensure that his LV collection will succeed. And massively. It is has to.