Louis Vuitton and Tyler The Creator: fashion and music increasingly united
Collaborations are the new frontier of contemporary fashion: they attract the general public, broaden brand horizons and shake up the market. That’s why the hype around Louis Vuitton’s new men’s capsule collection for this spring 2024, created together with US rapper Tyler The Creator, has registered a very strong interest in the fashion system.
The influence of urban musical cultures, from hip hop to rap, thus continues to contaminate the creativity of the French maison and even creative director Pharrell Williams seems intent on continuing the work begun by his late predecessor Virgil Abloh, with the aim of resetting the boundaries between luxury and streetwear. The two artists have been friends for a long time and have collaborated on many musical projects, but this is their first ever fashion project together. Tyler, born Tyler Gregory Okonma, rose to prominence as one of the leaders of the alternative hip hop music collective Odd Future.
His has been a multifaceted and chameleon-like career: besides revolutionising the world of contemporary music, he has already successfully collaborated on productions with brands such as Converse and Golf Wang. The new collaboration pushes Louis Vuitton to a real revolution by the standards of the fashion house, anticipated by a short film in which the creative process of the entire line is explained to the public. The result is a modern dandy aesthetic through 17 looks that embody the irreverent preppy style: pastel-coloured knitwear, pink waistcoats, tailored shorts and leather golf bags pop up in the collection.
The brand’s traditional codes were renewed: thus was born the “Craggy Monogram“, inspired by the historical partnership with Takashi Murakami but made in sugary shades such as vanilla or chocolate. Finally, insiders literally went crazy for a travel chessboard that, according to the creator himself, is the centrepiece of the entire collection. The maison’s new course is evident, where the pivotal focus of its creative director seems to be precisely the desire to deconstruct the solemnity of French fashion. As we await new frontiers to be broken down, all we can do is admire the beginning of this gentle revolution.