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Pharrell Williams turns Paris into a playground for his Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2026 show

  • Writer: Rhianna Dankwa
    Rhianna Dankwa
  • Jun 27
  • 3 min read

Updated: 4 days ago

An overhead view of an outdoor fashion show runway designed to look like a giant board game, with numbered squares and a winding blue and green path. Models in various outfits walk along the path, while a large audience is seated on either side.
Forget a runway, it was all snakes and ladders at Paris. @louisvuitton/Instagram.

On Wednesday (25 June) Pharrell Williams staged a life-sized version of the ancient Indian board game, Snakes and Ladders for The Louis Vuitton Spring-Summer 2026 Men's Collection.


In a statement to ELLE Decor, Pharrell said: “From the beginning, I hoped our set design could live on permanently.

 

“I imagined the show set as a living Snakes and Ladders board—something more than a stage, something alive and lasting."


Pharrell Williams wearing sunglasses, a grey sweatshirt, a green t-shirt, and light blue shorts walks down a patterned runway, with his hands clasped in front of him. He is wearing chunky dark and yellow sneakers. A crowd of people, many holding up phones, are seated in the background.
Pharrell became Louis Vuitton's Men's Creative Director in June 2023. @louisvuitton/Instagram.

Architect Bijoy Jain of Studio Mumbai was the mastermind behind bringing Williams’ bold vision to life at the Centre Pompidou.


This connection was forged during Pharrell and LV's immersive week-long trip to India, where they met Jain while exploring Delhi, Mumbai, and Jaipur.


Speaking to GQ Magazine ahead of the show, one lead designer said the group observed “not what India is,” but rather “many different Indias, depending on which city you are.”


The set design seamlessly blended Indian tradition with contemporary modernity, a powerful metaphor for Pharrell exploring what's ‘possible’ at Louis Vuitton (LV).


Entitled “Paris to India", the fashion show took inspiration from modern Indian sartorialism. 


A male model walks down a runway, pushing a bright yellow hand truck with a large, ornate trunk on it. The model is wearing a light blue and white striped short-sleeved button-up shirt over a white undershirt, khaki trousers, and dark shoes. He has short, dark hair. The trunk on the hand truck is dark brown with intricate gold and jewel-toned embellishments. It has gold clasps and corner protectors. In the background, out of focus, are spectators seated on either side of the runway. The setting appears to be outdoors, possibly in an urban environment with buildings visible further back.
Several models pushed encrusted trunks baring The Darjeeling Limited motif. Pic:Louis Vuitton

It eloquently showcased how Indian clothing - cloths, cuts, colours and craftsmanship - continues to sew its mark on contemporary global fashion.


The audience itself was a testament to the show's international appeal. 


A constellation of A-list celebrities, from K-Pop sensation J-Hope of BTS to France's own basketball prodigy Victor Wembanyama, graced the front row. 


The show experienced a slight delay, commencing at 9pm due to the much-anticipated arrival of Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and their nephew Julez Smith. 


However, their presence proved pivotal. At the end of the show, a casually dressed Pharrell personally presented Beyoncé with a mini Speedy bag, fresh off the runway.




The Men's Creative Director wanted his latest collection for LV to vividly capture the house's profound appreciation of exploration.


A cornerstone of this vision “Sun-Drenched Dandy” - a reimagined dandyism.


The aesthetic comprises weathered looks and a sun-faded colour palette, an ode to Wes Anderson's 2007 film, The Darjeeling Limited, and India’s city landscape.


The Darjeeling Limited bag boasts an aged silky-smooth calfskin, faded coloured canvases and designs inspired by Gaston-Louis Vuitton’s antique collection.


A model walks down a runway wearing a long, light tan trench coat over a grey pinstriped suit with a white shirt and a patterned tie. He is carrying a structured brown bag with colourful, illustrated safari-themed designs. People are seated in the background.
The Darjeeling Limited bag was inspired by Wes Anderson's 2007 film of the same name. Pic:Louis Vuitton

Though his journey through India didn't include actual glamping, Pharrell masterfully “dandy-fied” the country's mountaineering culture with refined shell jackets and hiking boots.


A model walks down a runway wearing an oversized lime green puffer jacket with a patterned hood, a striped short-sleeved shirt, dark brown shorts, white socks, and brown and purple lace-up boots. He is carrying a small purple duffel bag. People are seated in the background.
Mountaineering is a popular sport in India. Pic:Louis Vuitton

A particularly striking detail was the coffee-bean inspired brown denim wash.


A model with curly hair walks a runway, wearing a dark brown denim jacket, a white collared shirt over a striped shirt, and dark brown wide-leg jeans. He is carrying a small, structured brown and tan bag. Another model is partially visible behind him. People are seated in the background.
Brown is the new indigo. Pic:Louis Vuitton

This was a bold departure from traditional indigo blue, perfectly exemplified by Beyoncé and Jay-Z's matching cowboy ensembles, a nod to her ongoing Cowboy Carter tour.


Beyoncé with long, flowing blonde hair, wearing a brown cowboy hat, denim jumpsuit, and a voluminous brown furry jacket, is smiling and walking forward. To her left, Jay-Z with dreadlocks, wearing sunglasses, a black leather jacket over a white t-shirt, and black pants, walks slightly in front of her. To Beyoncé's right, her nephew Julez Smith with dark hair, wearing a grey jacket and light-wash jeans, is also walking. All three appear to be moving from left to right in the frame, outdoors.
Beyoncé on arrival with husband Jay-Z and nephew Julez Smith. @ellegermany/Instagram.

The collection's footwear impeccably maintained its dandy spirit, in pieces like the signature LV BUTTERSOFT sneakers and new "no-left-no-right", superthin LV Jazz lace-ups.


A pair of brown suede sneakers with white accents and thick white laces are shown from a top-down perspective against a light background. The shoes feature a tan rubber sole with a textured pattern and prominent "LV" logos on the tongue and inner sole.
Pharrell's LV BUTTERSOFT Sneaker launched 16 June 2015. Pic:Louis Vuitton

Pharrell's creative influence extended far beyond the runway, as he also composed and produced the show's compelling soundtrack. 


This auditory experience was enriched by collaborations with artists such as Voices of Fire, A.R. Rahman, Clipse, Doechii, and Tyler, the Creator. 


Pharrell's extraordinary ability to create an immersive auditory experience that complemented the models “snaking” across the runway champions LV’s presence as the ultimate house of travel.

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