Pharrell Williams and Chanel: the collaboration represents much more than you can imagine

It is certain that Coco Chanel revolutionized fashion and empowered women in the 20th century with tailored trousers and by using patterns traditionally seen in men's clothing. Still, the designer remains today a controversial figure, anti-Semitic and known to be associated with Nazism. Marco Haedrich, a friend of Gabrielle Chanel and author of one of her biographies, even stated that her statements were outdated and embarrassing.

Under the direction of Karl Lagerfeld, another controversial figure at the helm of the brand, Chanel gradually approached the male audience. Pharrell Williams, one of the most relevant style icons of our time, was the first man to star in a handbag campaign for the maison French. And in 2018, after 109 years since the brand's foundation, Alton Mason made history by being the first black male model to walk the runway for Chanel.

Williams and Mason broke a predominantly Eurocentric tradition while helping the maison subtly position itself in the men's market. Without big marketing campaigns, without exclusive collections to be showcased at Pitti Uomo, Chanel made a subtle and precise move. A significant part of Coco's designs came from men's clothing, so the opposite path today makes total sense.

The recent capsule collection with Pharrell Williams - the first from Chanel since its foundation - is yet another milestone for the artist and another smart move. Ten years ago, Williams bet with a friend that he would never work with Chanel. Today, the print located on the back of a t-shirt carries the message that the rapper sent to the same friend, showing that he was wrong and that his dream came true.

Entitled Chanel Pharrell, the collection was presented without labels, as gender fluid, and features various colors that, according to the brand, represent optimism. The sweatshirts, hated by Karl Lagerfeld, appear with patches and embroidery drawn directly from Chanel's haute couture heritage. Graphic t-shirts, bags, bathrobes, bucket hats, sunglasses, and sneakers are some of the items that make up the collaboration. However, the highlight was the pearl necklaces, reinterpreted according to Pharrell's personality.

The campaign sets aside all the elegance of the brand and brings inspiration directly from the anime Akira, by Katsuhiro Otomo, through cyberpunk aesthetics.

But, among so many options of brands with men's lines, why do some men want to wear Chanel? Perhaps because of everything the brand represents in fashion, or perhaps because of Williams's own influence. My guess is that the sense of exclusivity and rarity is the main reason. Regardless, Pharrell Williams currently represents not just a great musical talent, but rather a fashion enthusiast who has enough influence and power to break the paradigms of one of the most traditional fashion houses in Europe. Long live, Mr. Williams.