Pharrell Williams recruits Rihanna for the new Louis Vuitton Speedy rebrand
In February, the news was announced that artist and producer Pharrell Williams would ignite his multifaceted creative vision for the high fashion luxury brand Louis Vuitton. Now, we have been treated to the first campaign of Williams as Men’s Creative Director – featuring megastar Rihanna.
The creative has recruited photographers Keizō Kitajima and Martine Syms to help bring the Speedy bag to life, with the proposal being released only days after the successful debut show in Paris. The premise of the new campaign builds on the foundations of LV practice, by merging two icons of the signature luxury bag and the influence of the worldwide artist. Williams also called on the help of two of his long-time collaborators, with stylists Cynthia Lu and Matthew Henson draping Rihanna in the bags as she takes on busy metropolitan life.
The updated Speedy refers back to Williams’ own experiences with the cosmopolitan, with design inspiration throwing it back to his early education on Canal Street in Lower Manhattan of New York City. The space embodies diverse energy and builds on the classic Speedy being one of the first ever bags the Creative Director owned. The visual redesign of the bag evokes the street style codes of Canal Street and brings forth a new life as an icon of the everyday.
A pregnant Rihanna, with her second baby on the way, was chosen to symbolise an everyday icon and build on the existing legacy already created in her own brand. The campaign now reflects William’s recontextualisation of LV Menswear, taking the lines of the classic Speedy and putting them onto calf leather lined lambskin. The silk-screen printed monogram creates an almost hand-painted effect, with several colours donning nine dimensions. It was originally designed by Gaston-Louis Vuitton in 1930 as a leather travel bag, originally known as the Express, and built on the architecture of speed and cars.
For nearly a century, the Speedy has become an emblem of the Louis Vuitton name, and Pharrell Williams has brought the icon of the metropolis into the 2023 brand. The city appeal campaign features various versions of the Speedy, with Rihanna strutting down a city street with the purses slung over her shoulder, signifying the introduction of the new Creative Director as bringing in the new era of design for LV.
