Later today, what is officially entitled the “Louis Vuitton Spring 2024 Men’s Capsule Collection by Tyler, The Creator” will go on sale across the world. To mark its release, the house this morning premiered a short film that gives us a glimpse into the creative process that has led up to this seismic menswear moment.
As Pharrell Williams said when the collection was first announced, “there are so many elements specific to Tyler built into these pieces.” The film, which was directed, art directed, and styled by Tyler, playfully unpacks some of those elements. Its conceit is to follow Louis Vuitton’s newest designer collaborator as he shoots this capsule collection on his supersized “Tyler” (not Leica) 35mm SLR camera, complete with supersized light meter. Another easter egg for the Creator’s cognoscenti is the fleeting cameo appearance made by a customized LV bike—just not the one he rode during the fall 2022 “Louis Dreamhouse” show.
The film focuses firmly on a collection that samples and subverts canonical cornerstones of preppiness—golf-gear, cricket sweaters, varsity jackets, fair isle knits, chinos—while also leaning into the broader dandy aesthetic Williams has been carving out at LV. The casting of Jason Jules, co-author of the excellent book Black Dandy: A Revolt in Style (he’s the gentleman in the pink cardigan and penny loafers) is very likely absolutely no coincidence. Some of the finished campaign shots—especially the plane image—also feel like gently knowing references to earlier manifestations of Louis Vuitton’s imagery.
Further meaningful castings include Tyler’s Odd Future collaborators Travis Bennett and Na-Kel Smith plus designer Anwar Carrots. As the hairstylist Ronnie McCoy III—responsible for the LV cut showcased in Basquiat Oriol in the film‚observed on his Instagram: “Thank you ain’t enough T. You got them keys and let the homies come with you.” That reflected exactly what Tyler, the Creator himself said about Pharrell when we first heard news that this collection was coming: “P has always left a door open for me, but I still can’t believe this one.”
