East of Paris: Louis Vuitton SS26 by Pharrell Williams

What looks like a board game from above is, in fact, a calculated act of quiet symbolism. For his Spring/Summer 2026 menswear collection with Louis Vuitton, Pharrell Williams transformed the rooftop of the Centre Pompidou into a massive Snakes and Ladders set — complete with oversized dice, checkerboard motifs, and a panoramic view of Paris. But beyond the spectacle, it was the restraint that spoke loudest.

Working alongside Studio Mumbai’s Bijoy Jain, Pharrell staged a fashion show that flirted with play, but rooted itself in precision. The scenography wasn’t just set dressing — it was language: geometric codes, Indian references, and LV heritage layered in subtle, referential repetition. This wasn’t about cultural appropriation. It was about recalibration — reading the rhythms of modern Indian menswear and translating them through Vuitton’s global lens.

The results? Dhoti-inspired trousers in suiting-grade wool. Washed brown denim that revealed a ghostly white thread over time. Jackets detailed with oversized “LVM” embroidery, cargo-pocket stitching, and garments that evoked utility, formality, and ease in the same breath. The tailoring didn’t scream reinvention, but it was unmistakably reconfigured: low-slung, unbuttoned, re-proportioned. Flip-flops with suit pants? Why not.

The accessories—long one of Vuitton’s strongest storytelling tools—were especially rich this season. Frog bags, animal embroideries lifted from Wes Anderson’s The Darjeeling Limited, and the reworked Speedy P9 bag in painted leathers and bold detailing, all acted like punchlines in a language of texture. Meanwhile, the footwear expanded into new terrain, from LV Buttersoft sneakers to skate-inspired Tilted shoes.

What set this collection apart was its ability to merge mood with motion. Pharrell stripped down the theatrics without losing momentum. The palette shifted from sober navies and browns into yellows, purples, and plum. Metallics shimmered instead of shouting. Even the most ornate looks — shell suits woven from metal yarn, mountaineering jackets lined with embroidery — felt edited, not indulgent.

And yes, this was easily Pharrell’s most commercially dialed-in collection yet. The looks were wearable, shelf-ready, and undeniably saleable — and that wasn’t a flaw. It felt like strategy. With LVMH navigating slower growth and a shifting global market, this collection didn’t chase virality. It chased longevity. It didn’t reimagine the man — it softened him, rerouted him, and handed him a new map.