Prepared by Leah Dolan, CNN, Fiona Sinclair Scott, CNN

American musician, record producer and designer Pharrell Williams will succeed Virgil Abloh as Louis Vuitton’s men’s imaginative director, in accordance to a assertion issued by the French luxurious style home on Tuesday.

The appointment is efficient right away and his initial selection will debut in June during Men’s Style Week in Paris.

“I am happy to welcome Pharrell back residence, right after our collaborations in 2004 and 2008 for Louis Vuitton, as our new Men’s Innovative Director,” claimed Pietro Beccari, Louis Vuitton’s chairman and CEO in a assertion. “His imaginative vision beyond fashion will undoubtedly guide Louis Vuitton to a new and quite enjoyable chapter.”

The information arrives a tiny in excess of a 12 months immediately after Abloh’s dying in November 2021, age 41, next a private struggle with most cancers.

The visionary designer’s unanticipated passing sent shockwaves by means of the industry and further than. As the to start with Black artistic director of Louis Vuitton, Abloh manufactured historical past when he was appointed in 2018 and was extensively credited for bringing a young demographic to the storied vogue household with layouts that introduced a streetwear aesthetic to the luxurious planet.

Virgil Abloh at a Louis Vuitton event in 2021 in Paris.

Virgil Abloh at a Louis Vuitton party in 2021 in Paris. Credit: Christian Vierig/Getty Photos

News of Williams’ appointment finishes months of speculation over who would do well Abloh.

While Williams, a 13-time Grammy winner, is improved recognised for his tunes career, the 49-12 months-outdated has a strong established of trend credentials, too. He co-started streetwear label Billionaire Boys Club in 2003 with trend designer Nigo and has collaborated with a slew of luxurious models together with Tiffany & Co., Moncler and Adidas.

Pharrell Williams and his wife Helen Lasichanh at the 2021 Met Gala.

Pharrell Williams and his spouse Helen Lasichanh at the 2021 Satisfied Gala. Credit rating: Lexie Moreland/WWD/Penske Media/Getty Pictures

From a enormous brown topper hat he wore to the 2014 Grammy Awards to his now-signature bejeweled Tiffany shades, Williams’s daring own type generally makes headlines and he is no stranger to fashion’s front row.

A great deal like Abloh, Williams’ creativity is cross-disciplinary: At the beginning of 2022, he declared he was concerned in an ambitious new hotel project, slated to open up coming year in the Bahamas, and during the pandemic he released a transportable cutlery established to restrict solitary-use plastic consumption when outside eating.

How Williams will apply his skillset to his new job at Louis Vuitton stays to be found but a flurry of market reactions to the news throughout social media suggest he’ll have a packed household at his 1st display this summer season.