Pharrell Debuted at Louis Vuitton and Future Named First Lanvin Lab Creative Director in This Week's Top Fashion News

This week was quite a busy — and monumental — one for the fashion industry. First and foremost, Pharrell made his much-anticipated debut at the helm of Louis Vuitton, putting forth a massive Spring/Summer 2024 runway show to open Paris Fashion Week Men’s. Throughout the tightly-packed week, designers including Wales Bonner, Louis Gabriel Nouchi, Rick Owens and many more also pulled back the curtain on next season’s wares, sparking myriad discussions on where style (and the industry) is headed next.

Off the runway, Future was tapped to be the first-ever creative director for Lanvin Lab, and Nana Aganovic and Brooke Taylor were named joint leaders of Copenhagen brand WOOD WOOD. Meanwhile, Shayne Oliver stepped down from his design director role at Hood by Air, and VF Corporation named a new CEO.

Below, Hypebeast has rounded up the top fashion stories of the week so you can stay up to date on trends in the industry.

Pharrell Made His Debut at Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton

After much anticipation, Pharrell made his debut at the helm of Louis Vuitton, offering a star-studded, high-fashion spectacle to usher in the brand’s next era for Spring/Summer 2024. The show took place at the Pont Neuf Bridge in Paris, where each look crossed water to the sounds of an ethereal choir.

On the moment, Pharrell said, “In moments like this, when you’ve been chosen to do something, the sun is shining on you. The quintessential question that I ask myself all the time, and ask people I care about, is, ‘Hey, if the sun is shining on you, what would you do with the light?’ When the sun shined on me for an opportunity like this, it changed my life across the board. If I’m going to get this appointment, I’m going to use it to do two things: one, to share all my learnings as a perpetual student; and two, to share my love and appreciation. I’m choosing to shine a light back on this city, these people, all my friends here, who have kept me lifted all this time.”

Check out Hypebeast’s full Louis Vuitton SS24 show coverage.

Paris Fashion Week Men’s Is in Full Swing

Joyce Li/Hypebeast

Paris Fashion Week Men’s is operating at full speed. And over the past week, we’ve seen several brands offer forward-minded collections for the forthcoming seasons.

Among them, Louis Gabriel Nouchi’s SS24 collection told the story of A Single Man; Bianca Saunders tapped Farah for a range inspired by Jamaican artist Lee “Scratch” Perry, and Wales Bonner put forth an adidas collaboration with sartorial elegance. Additionally, Hed Mayner offered a unique take on “boring clothes,” while Rick Owens showcased a range that was quintessentially him.

See all of Hypebeast’s Spring/Summer 2024 coverage.

Future Will Creative Direct Lanvin Lab’s Inaugural Collection

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The latest celebrity to join fashion’s higher tier, Future has been hired as the first creative director for Lanvin Lab, a sublabel of Paris-based fashion house Lanvin looking to become “a space to dream and play.”

The experimental brand extension will house a slew of creative partnerships with both established and rising talents across the globe. In his lead role, Future will curate the brand’s first collection, which Lanvin says will place an emphasis on music. “Jeanne Lanvin’s daughter and muse, Marguerite, was an accomplished musician and music has largely inspired the mythology of the house,” the label explained of the line’s inspirations.

The inaugural collection will include ready-to-wear and accessories for both men and women, and it’s scheduled for delivery at the end of this year.

Christopher Kane Is Closing His Namesake Label

David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images

London designer Christopher Kane is officially closing his namesake label, according to WWD. The company confirmed the news on Wednesday, stating that the board of Christopher Kane Ltd. has filed a notice of intention to appoint FTS Recovery’s licensed insolvency practitioners to tail off the company’s operations.

“This difficult decision has been reached to give the company sufficient time to implement a rescue plan,” company principals said, via WWD.

“Key stakeholders have been notified,” principals added. “A period of accelerated marketing activity will now follow, with a view to locating potential interested parties to either refinance the company’s existing debt, or alternatively locate a purchaser for the business and assets.”

Shayne Oliver Stepped Down as Design Director at Hood by Air

Lula Hyers/Kaleidoscope

Shayne Oliver will no longer design for his New York fashion label Hood by Air, according to Business of Fashion. The 35-year-old designer, who founded the streetwear imprint in 2006, will remain a shareholder in the company while shifting his attention to other projects.

Oliver quietly left his role as Hood by Air’s design director last summer. In October, he moved to Berlin, where he now plans to work on a multitude of projects under his Shayne Oliver Group banner, which includes 10 team members based in Berlin, Paris and Miami. The company houses several sub-labels, including Oliver’s creative studio Anonymous Club, his basics line As Seen by Shayne Oliver (A.S.S.O) and his high-end ready-to-wear imprint Shayne Oliver, which will launch in 2024.

Nana Aganovic and Brooke Taylor Were Appointed as WOOD WOOD Creative Directors

Wood Wood

Copenhagen fashion brand WOOD WOOD named two new creative directors earlier this week. The label, which was founded by Brian SS Jensen and Karl-Oskar Olsen 21 years ago, will now operate under the creative jurisdiction of Nana Aganovic and Brooke Taylor.

The two designers will collaborate on bringing the brand to a global audience, across both its mainline collections and its sub-label, DOUBLE A by Wood Wood.

VF Corporation, Parent Company to The North Face and Supreme, Named a New CEO

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VF Corporation, the parent company to brands including Supreme and The North Face, has named a new CEO, after the previous executive, Steve Rendell, stepped down at the end of last year.

Bracken Darrell will take over the top seat at the company on July 17. The executive has vast experience in the field, having previously served as Logitech’s CEO for 10 years and held positions at consumer-packaged goods imprint, P&G.

Richard Carucci, VF’s chairman, said, “We conducted an extensive search and determined that Bracken has all the attributes to excel in this role. He is a transformational and visionary business leader with a strong track record of performance across multiple industries. Throughout his career he has demonstrated an outstanding ability to enhance design capabilities, delight consumers, and accelerate revenue growth and margin expansion.”

Slam Jam and Umbro Sealed Long-Term Partnership Plans

Slam Jam

Slam Jam and Umbro will continue to celebrate the UK and Italy on a global scale, in a newly-announced long-term partnership.

Umbro, founded in 1924, has long championed British sports culture through a number of collaborations with brands including  Aries, Palace, and Patta. With Slam Jam, however, the label is placing an emphasis on reaching audiences worldwide.

For Spring/Summer 2024, the duo will put forth a transnational collection exploring Umbro’s UK identity through a historical lens. Additional collections will follow over the next several years.

The pair’s first collection has not yet been revealed, so stay tuned for further information coming soon.