Paris when it sizzles: Mega star multi-hyphenate Pharrell Williams has just debuted his Louis Vuitton spring/summer 26 men’s collection and, as expected, there were plenty of fabulous watches for us timepiece nerds to enjoy.
Entitled ‘Paris to India’, the show was intended as a tribute to “the influence of modern Indian sartorialism on the global contemporary wardrobe.”
Held within Paris’ historic Pompidou Centre on a scorching hot day, the runway was built within a vibrant set conceived by Pharrell and designed by Bijoy Jain of India’s top architectural firm, Studio Mumbai.
Taking the form of a giant version of the ancient Indian board game, Snakes and Ladders (with the games’ squares reinvented in Louis Vuitton’s signature brown and white canvas check), the scene was meant to serve as “a metaphor for possibility, reflecting the philosophy of Pharrell Williams at Louis Vuitton.”
Alongside plenty of natty suits in superb fabrics (including options with tailored-looking hoodies and shorts) and dozens of different handbag iterations, watch fans will have spotted several of Louis Vuitton’s bestselling Tambour watches worn by models as they strutted down the runway.
Chief amongst these was a 40mm Louis Vuitton Tambour in yellow gold with a cream dial, another version in pink gold with a dark brown dial and an elegant 39mm Louis Vuitton Escale watch, with a pink gold case and a brown leather strap.
Outside on the red carpet, several celebrities also sported LV on their wrists. Bradley Cooper, Louis Vuitton’s first ever timepiece ambassador, opted for a Tambour Taiko Spin Time Antipode, with a blue dial and cream strap to match his breezy summer ensemble, whilst French actor Tahar Rahim, star of 2021’s The Mauritanian, looked to the heavens with Louis Vuitton’s Escale Mététorite – a sleek 39mm timepiece crafted with a platinum case and slice of actual meteorite as its dial. German actor Emilio Sakraya, meanwhile, sported one of Vuitton’s latest innovations, the Tambour Convergence watch, which debuted in January.
Previewing new timepieces at its runway shows is something Louis Vuitton is already adept at doing – Nicholas Ghesquière sent models down the runway at his Spring/Summer 2024 show for Louis Vuitton wearing the revamped Tambour watch, giving the world a first glance at the timepiece when it first launched. Then, this March, the designer gave fans a sneaky glimpse at the all new Louis Vuitton Monterey II at his Fall/Winter 2025-2026 show for the brand.
With his latest runway spectacle for the storied French label, marketing supremo Pharrell is reminding customers that, whilst first and foremost a fashion house, Louis Vuitton does also make some very stylish timepieces – just the thing for completing its latest looks.
Watch the show here:
Like this? Take a closer look at the Louis Vuitton Monterey II watch.
