From Mary Janes and Pearl Socks to ‘Damoflage’ Boots: These Are the Shoes Available From Pharrell’s First Louis Vuitton Men’s Collection
Stephen Garner
Senior Editor
Louis Vuitton is starting the year off with a bang, releasing today Pharrell Williams’s first men’s collection for the French luxury house. Fans of the brand’s new men’s creative director will be happy to know that plenty of the standout shoes from his blockbuster Paris runway show last June have made it to merchandise and are now available to buy.
Starting today, the collection is now available at two dedicated pop-ups in New York City’s SoHo neighborhood and West Hollywood, Calif, both of which that transport visitors to a golden replica of the Pont Neuf bridge in Paris, where the collection’s viral show took place in June. The SoHo location includes a second, appointment-only store with a secret room showcasing Vuitton’s new Speedy bags, while the West Hollywood store will launch a second Feb. 8 drop before the concept closes in March.
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A key footwear style in the collection is Williams’s take on the Mary Jane, which could shape up to be one of the must-have silhouettes for men this spring. The $1,220 black calf skin leather shoe takes inspiration from the popular women’s silhouette but adds a masculine touch with Louis Vuitton monogram engraved metal studs, contrast stitching and chunky rubber soles inspired by work boots.
This blending of the traditional masculine and the feminine is a central theme in this collection, illustrated with the pairing of the label’s new white Pocket Socks with signature pearl accent styled with the aforementioned Mary Janes. Pearls — which have popped up on menswear runways in recent seasons as more men have been wearing them over the past few years — are used as a key accent in the collection’s jewelry line.
For those looking for a more traditional shoe with the same details as the Mary Jane, there is the LV Checker Derby. The model features the same black calf skin leather, studs, chunky sole and price point as the Mary Jane.
Nods to Williams’s hip-hop roots can also be seen in his debut collection with oversized denim looks and the brand-new LV Checker Ankle Boot. The style takes nods from the New York streetwear staple work boot in a beige colorway. This high fashion alternative (at $1,480) sees the style updated with some of the key details seen in the other footwear styles including LV initials on the tongue, metal studs and chunky rubber soles.
If a cozier winter shoe is of interest, Vuitton’s Footprint boot also made the cut this season. Seen as one of the statement making shoes of the collection, the LV Footprint Low Boot features a soft shearling upper printed with an oversized monogram pattern. The rubber outsole was inspired by a bear’s paw print and is decorated with house signatures. The style retails for $2,470.
Other statement-making shoe models include LV Checker High Boot, which features a running pattern this season: what the brand is calling “Damoflage.” The new motif is a combination of camouflage with Vuitton’s signature Damier checkerboard print and is seen across footwear, apparel and bags in this season’s men’s collection.
Turning to sneakers, the LV Trainer Maxi Sneaker sees its debut. The silhouette reinterprets the original LV trainer sneaker with an oversized shape and modified outside with a pronounced tread. Inspired by vintage basketball sneakers, this model features multiple brand signatures, including rubber LV Initials on the upper and monogram flowers on the outsole. It’s available in a variety of materials and colorways and retails between $1,600 and $1,970.
As for the LV Trainer, it has also been updated with this season’s key Damier Pop pattern. This cult model was inspired by vintage basketball sneakers and features an elaborately constructed upper which takes seven hours to stitch. The tonal rubber outsole is decorated with monogram flowers and retails for $1,430.
These styles along with Vuitton’s full spring-summer 2024 range is now available at over 50 dedicated destinations worldwide – including temporary pop-ups in New York City and Los Angeles.
