Pharrell Explains Louis Vuitton’s Presence at Something in the Water: ‘They Are Part of My Story’

You shouldn’t be surprised to see a sand castle on the beach. But if it’s 30-feet high and made up of 366 reimaginations of Malle-Haute trunks, it may turn some heads. This is what Louis Vuitton erected in Virginia Beach this weekend for Pharrell’s Something in the Water festival.

Pharrell was named men’s artistic director at Louis Vuitton in February, hence the sand castle, and although his first collection doesn’t debut until June, we are already seeing glimpses of the direction he may be taking the brand during his tenure. Louis Vuitton also showed support of its newest men’s creative director by releasing a limited edition collection of Virginia-influenced T-shirts, a hoodie, and a Damier print denim jacket priced between $860 and $3,050. Each featured an LV logo placed in the state’s travel slogan “Virginia is for Lovers.” Although the French fashion house is tied to the creator of this festival, seeing Louis Vuitton with such a notable presence in Virginia Beach was still unexpected. 

“It was important to them. They pushed. They wanted to be here,” Pharrell told Complex while sitting outside of his trailer in the artist compound situated a few blocks away from the hubbub of the festival. His outfit consisted of a brown LV monogram leather Perfecto jacket layered with a white T-shirt, black leather pants, and a pair of chunky white LV Trainer Snow Boots. Various gold chains hung from his neck and teardrop-shaped sunglasses from his yet-to-be-released collaboration with Tiffany and Co. covered his eyes. “When I was on that mixtape, the In My Mind: The Prequel, and I said, ‘I just renegotiated my contract with LV.’ That was like ‘05 or ‘06. I had already met Marc [Jacobs] in like ‘03 and I think the sunglasses came out in ‘04. I’ve been working with them for like 20 years, bro. I think they understand that they are a part of my history and I’m a part of theirs.”

Pharrell spent the weekend adding to that history with the aforementioned Perfecto jacket he’s been wearing for the past couple weeks along with a new white and lime green moto jacket covered in crystallized logos, which he wore on stage Saturday night for his headlining set. Both are custom pieces officially designed by Pharrell, but they aren’t part of his debut collection. While Pharrell kept his details on the monogram jacket he was donning during our interview brief, he did give a small explanation to the “Pupil King” phrase spelled out in gold studs across the back of the jacket. 

“I will forever be a student. I will always be a pupil. Pupil king,” says Pharrell. 

Other highlights from the three-day weekend included an exclusive launch of Pharrell’s new Adidas Samba collab, standout sets from legends like Kid Cudi and Lil Wayne, and even surprise appearances from acts like Diddy and Chris Brown, who joined Pharrell on stage. Unfortunately, harsh weather hindered the three-day festival. Friday’s start time was pushed back from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. to combat heavy rain and they canceled Sunday’s shows entirely. Despite the setbacks, Pharrell celebrated the weekend and remained optimistic about next year’s Something in the Water. 

“Even during this tornado watch and lightning storm right now as I type, we are the best. Thank you for giving the folks that travel here that energy and that love that only we can give,” Pharrell wrote on Instagram following Sunday’s cancellation. “Next year, more acts, more merch, more food…just more!”

On Saturday afternoon, we had a chance to sit down with Pharrell amid his busy weekend and ask him about that bespoke Louis Vuitton leather jacket he can’t seem to stop wearing, his new Adidas project, booking Something in the Water’s diverse lineup, and more. 

This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.