The runway shows in Milan were barely over, but the fashion crowd had already moved to Paris, where Pharrell Williams hinted that his show for the Louis Vuitton opening would have cowboy motifs.
The luxury sector has become one of the most important success stories in the European economy, despite being associated with social inequality and the huge environmental damage caused by the fashion industry, AFP reported.
The season kicked off in Milan last week and continues in Paris with the autumn/winter menswear collections of brands such as Dior, Hermes and Loewe.
Hip-hop star Williams, known for hits like "Happy" and "Get Lucky," took over as creative director of Louis Vuitton last year in a sign of the increasingly lucrative crossover between fashion, music and sports. (Basketball player LeBron James is the newest face of the brand.)
He will present his second show among the attractions of the Jardin d'Acclimatation, very close to the company's Louis Vuitton Foundation art museum, whose construction is estimated at around 800 million euros.
The style of the invitations - with an added harmonica for each guest - and recent photos of Williams wearing a cowboy hat suggest his new collection will be dedicated to the American West.
Local authorities have criticized the brand's intrusion into daily life in Paris, especially after Williams took over the entire Pont Neuf bridge for his debut show last summer, shutting down traffic in the city's historic center.
But as the first brand to reach €20 billion in revenue last year, it has vast resources. /BGNES