\n\tAs France registered its hottest day on record, who wouldn\u2019t dream of taking a plunge in the ocean?<\/p>\n
\n\tCowabunga! Pharrell Williams, who always has water on the brain, whipped up a surfing-inspired spring collection designed to take the Louis Vuitton customer from the boardroom to the beach \u2014 complete with logoed surfboards.<\/p>\n
\n\tGuests including brand ambassadors Jeremy Allen White, Jackson Wang and J-Hope gathered at a university campus on the outskirts of Paris for the outdoor show, set in an open box filled with fine sand. The catwalk snaked out from behind a spectacular artificial wave that kicked up a steady spray, providing welcome relief from the hellish heat.<\/p>\n
\n\tAs the sound of thundering surf gave way to a live orchestra, models emerged in outfits ranging from relaxed tailoring to full wetsuits \u2014 marking the first time Vuitton has put its famed Monogram on functional diving gear.<\/p>\n
\n\tRibbed cashmere jackets and boucl\u00e9 wool robe coats were inspired by the toasty cover-ups that surfers reach for after a chilly ride, but palm-print Hawaiian shirts and cutoff denim shorts felt more appropriate for the sweltering temperatures that have forced several brands to reschedule their shows in Paris this week.<\/p>\n
\n\tWilliams said his fascination with the sea goes back to his childhood in Virginia Beach on the Atlantic Ocean. \u201cWhen I was maybe 2 years old, I hit my head on an aquarium, and all the water fell on me and it was very traumatic \u2014 but then all my life I became obsessed with water,\u201d he told WWD.<\/p>\n
\n\tHis well-documented love of skateboarding earned him the nickname Skateboard P in high school, but he never tried his hand at surfing until last year, when he ventured to the surf park located a stone\u2019s throw from the Atlantis Apartments housing project where he grew up.<\/p>\n
\n\tIn any case, actual surfing chops were beside the point for this collection, which continued to mine the refined aesthetic that Williams has made a cornerstone of his menswear designs for Vuitton. \u201cI don\u2019t see these things as fashion shows. I see them as dandy experiences,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\n\tHere, he was thinking of the kind of executive who likes to catch waves in Costa Rica or Montauk, but is also a bit of a peacock. His wardrobe might include classic double-breasted suits, duffel coats and bomber jackets, sprinkled with psychedelic pieces like jeans embroidered with cowrie shells, or a jacket made from a crazy patchwork of souvenir patches.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cI\u2019m a creative director, but I\u2019m a consumer\u2019s designer: I design for things that I know I\u2019m gonna consume,\u201d Williams said.<\/p>\n
\n\tHis personal favorite this season was both grounded and extravagant: Vuitton\u2019s take on a classic skate shoe, named the Combi, rendered in materials including its signature Monogram canvas and a variety of exotic leathers.<\/p>\n
\n\tSince Williams teased his red crocodile leather pair on Instagram over the weekend, the sneaker has generated much chatter online<\/a>, including a comment from the official account of Vans. <\/p>\n \n\tWilliams said the design took him back two decades to his initial collaborations with Vuitton under Marc Jacobs, which prefigured the subsequent convergence of streetwear and luxury menswear. \u201cI still feel like I can\u2019t believe I\u2019m here,\u201d he marveled.<\/p>\n \n\tIn the meantime, the slowdown in luxury spending has prompted many designers to pivot to quiet luxury \u2014 and Williams hasn\u2019t missed a beat.<\/p>\n \n\tOver the seasons, he has tweaked his tailoring, alternating his beloved flared pants with more conservative fits, and pushed fabric development, like classic Savile Row suit wools bonded with technical materials, used here for waterproof separates that were perfect for cycling to work in the rain.<\/p>\n