Pharrell Williams, a musician who has won a Grammy Award, just started his new job as the creative head for men’s fashion at Louis Vuitton. His appointment made people in the fashion industry wonder why a well-known designer wasn’t picked and if fame is more important than talent. On the other hand, Williams wanted to make an effect that would last, so he showed his much-anticipated first collection in Paris.

Williams told Vanity Fair about his first collection, “I came into this knowing that I wanted to make some serious indelible marks.”

The runway for the first collection was set up in front of the historic Pont Neuf bridge. The runway was covered in the famous Damier design. Williams decided to focus on the Damier pattern because of how important it is to the history of the Louis Vuitton brand.

Stars like Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Rihanna, A$AP Rocky, Zendaya, Naomi Campbell, Lenny Kravitz, Megan Thee Stallion, and many others were in the front row of Williams’ first show. Well-known models were Anok Yai, Dao Yi Chow, No Malice, Jerrod Carmichael, Liya Kebede, Nick Cave, and Pusha T.

Williams said that the late, well-known Virgil Abloh, the previous menswear creative director, had a big effect on him and that he wanted to share what he had learned and how much he appreciated him.

“It changed my life across the board. If I’m going to get this appointment, I’m going to use it to do two things: one, to share all my learnings as a perpetual student; and two, to share my love and appreciation. I’m choosing to shine a light back on this city, these people, all my friends here, who have kept me lifted all this time.”

Williams’s relationship with Louis Vuitton goes back to when designer Dapper Dan made custom clothes for singers. He also made the Millionaire sunglasses with Marc Jacobs in 2004. Williams is now the creative head of Louis Vuitton. In this role, she brings back old Louis Vuitton classics and reimagines them for today.

During the talk, Williams said that his home state of Virginia was one of the things that gave him ideas. Williams talked about how important it was that he was hired as a Black man in a French house. He also talked about how the business is changing in a good way.