Future Enters the Celebrity Fashion Designer Chat
Fashion can't quit the cult of celebrity, a phenomenon exhibited in all its flashy, Instagram-able glory at Pharrell's Louis Vuitton debut on Tuesday. Piling onto the industry's pack of celebrity co-signs (in addition to Pharrell's new gig, see: Dua Lipa for Versace, Erykah Badu for Marni, Beyoncé for Balmain), Lanvin has tapped Future to creative direct its inaugural Lanvin Lab collection.
Lanvin Lab, described in a press release as a "a space to dream and play," will offer guest-designed capsules to supplement the house's seasonal shows. The initiative is part of Lanvin's new structuring, which has yet to be finalized in the wake of former creative director Bruno Sialelli's departure.
In a press release, the label confirmed that its first Lanvin Lab will bridge the worlds of fashion and music. "Future is a visionary whose artistic influence extends way beyond music and entertainment and resonates throughout broad swathes of contemporary culture today," a statement sent to Highsnobiety reads.
"Lanvin is delighted to partner with Future, whose innovation and originality have reshaped the worlds of music and entertainment." The co-designed collection will release this fall and include men's and women's ready-to-wear and accessories.
This isn't the first time Lanvin has courted hip hop talent. In 2021, the label recruited Offset as the face of its paint-splattered collaboration with Gallery Department.
With Pharrell at LV's helm and Future's Lanvin one-off, it seems fashion is finally recognizing the monumental influence of hip hop and Black culture on fashion. There's a fine line between celebration and cash grab, though. It's well-documented that fashion is an especially inhospitable industry for Black creatives, particularly those without the résumés of Pharrell and Future. Here's hoping the Louis Vuittons and Lanvins of the world will take a chance on new-gen talent, too.
