A Celebration Of Friendship And Time At Louis Vuitton

There is a study that psychologists have done, which says that if you have a friend for seven years, then you’re likely to remain friends for the rest of your life. So what does that say for Pharrell Williams and Nigo, both of whom have been pals with each other for almost a quarter of a century?

A fashion show is an unlikely venue to celebrate one’s camaraderie, but at Louis Vuitton’s fall/winter 2025 showcase, that was exactly what transpired through the clothing and the motifs that were presented.

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After all, this is the duo that gave us brands like Billionaire Boys Club and Icecream back in the early 00s. These were the two names in fashion and music that street style sharks would often drop as a sign of showing you were in with the times. Think back to, say, 2015: Williams held court as one of the music industry’s most fashionable hit-makers alive, and Nigo was revered as one of the bastions that kept Japanese streetwear so desirable amongst hype hunters everywhere.

But since their first collaboration on Billionaire Boys Club in 2003, so much time has elapsed. Both men have grown considerably within the fashion industry—Williams now at Louis Vuitton and Nigo showcasing his work at Kenzo—and the look of streetwear has shifted along with the years as well. So, the collection tonight was exactly that: a blend of streetwear iconography melting into a more mature and grown-up creative point of view.

On the surface, the 84 looks presented in Paris were a synthesis of both designers’ cultures. Nigo, known for his archive of over 10,000 pieces of workwear and Japanese textiles, brought plenty of these to the table. Jackets are cropped above the hip bone and worn with cargo pants, monogrammed canvas spliced together with leather in the shapes of clouds that have been abstracted from traditional Japanese artwork, and utilitarian jackets thrown over knits and suede shorts were all on the menu. Denim, a revered fabric in Japan’s street fashion scene, is heavily employed as tailoring, patchworked jeans and Chinese-collared overcoats.

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The cherry blossom, a lasting icon of Japan, lent its soft pink hue to Damoflage suits, ski overalls, and was even embroidered on one bubblegum pink bag. Meanwhile, lobsters—a synonym for Williams’ and Nigo’s bromance, after the duo shared with reporters that they had taken a fishing trip together recently and caught a lobster by surprise—also found its way into the collection through a bag charm that dangled off a bag made to look like origami, or as a motif on a knitted pullover.

For Williams, he brought a sense of coolness and his understanding of American streetwear to the table. There was no shortage of letterman jackets, although some came with sleeves cut from the same leather used in Louis Vuitton’s bag handles that allowed it to gain its own unique patina over time, and trousers got the “baggy is better” treatment.

Meanwhile, skinny suits were styled with graffiti-printed beanies, and there were a few rockabilly-inspired looks consisting of skinny ties, three-button suits and leopard spots that would satisfy the dressed-up crowd. The Millionaires 1.0, which Williams and Nigo created for the House in 2004 and was sold out soon after release, has been reinvented this time in an all-over translucent edition. And to further emphasise their bromance, illustrations of both designers’ faces were employed as embroidery on the back of jackets and prints on bags; you have your friendship bracelets, they have their friendship motif.

Fashion is not the warmest place to be in: it’s an industry moving at hypersonic speeds, and coupled with many grappling with the worst luxury slump in 15 years, can leave the most passionate fashion follower feeling jaded. It’s nice to be reminded of the candid warmth and simple pleasures of a well-formed friendship in these trying days.