The Top Seven Pharrell Williams Fashion Moments

From his early beginnings with Billionaire Boys Club and A Bathing Ape to his haute couture collaborations with Chanel and Tiffany and Co., these are the top seven Pharrell Williams fashion moments.

When it was announced that Pharrell Williams was appointed as Creative Director of Mens’ Louis Vuitton, it was met with conflicted opinions from various sides. While streetwear enthusiasts and longtime supporters of the artist saw the decision as a smart business move, many in the fashion industry saw it as the luxury house’s way of using yet another big name with no prior fashion experience or background to garner massive attention from Pharrell’s fans and admirers. 

Pharrell’s appeal in the world of hip-hop and popular culture has merged with his influence on  fashion, which can be seen in rappers like Lil Uzi Vert, Travis Scott, and Tyler, The Creator. Even Pharrell’s Louis Vuitton predecessor, the late Virgil Abloh, spoke often of Pharrell’s role in bringing together hip-hop and fashion, allowing more Black artists to create a space for themselves in an industry that continues to shut them (and other Black creatives) out. 

The start of Pharrell’s ascent into fashion icon status began with his friendship with former artist Kelis. As stated in a UK Vogue interview, it was the latter who introduced the former to a world outside of monogrammed shirts. Fast-forward to now and you can practically assign a certain aesthetic to each of Pharrell’s musical eras: the N.E.R.D hat he often paired with a classic rock band or skateboard brand t-shirt when N.E.R.D first popped up; the colorful apparel from BAPE and his own brands — Billionaire Boys Club and ICECREAM clothing — he wore as he became a more prominent features and solo artist; and that Vivienne Westwood hat (you know the one) that became so synonymous with him that it’s now forever known as the “Pharrell hat.” Whether you love or hate them, these examples speak to Pharrell’s ongoing evolution as a style icon.

In honor of that, we’re highlighting the top seven Pharrell fashion moments. To clarify, this isn’t just centered around certain pieces he’s worn that stuck out, but how those pieces were a part of larger fashion collaborations (save for his own brands) he had with notable brands. From his work with Richard Mille to helping BAPE rise as a global streetwear brand, these moments showcase just how impactful Pharrell has been to fashion.

David Grutman, Amanda Mille and Pharell WIlliams attend the Richard Mille Celebration for the launch of the RM 52-05 Tourbillon Pharrell Williams at Swan Miami on November 13, 2019 in Miami, Florida. Photo by Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for Richard Mille

7. Jewelry Collabs

Pharrell has had arguably one of the greatest jewelry collaborations and pieces in hip-hop history courtesy of the work he did with Richard Mille. In 2019, Richard Mille and Pharrell collaborated on a watch called the RM 52-05, which was composed of red and white gold set with diamonds and titanium. Inspired visually by his love for space, it was a limited item with 30 pieces available for $969,000. 

Aside from his work with Richard Mille, Williams was also given a solo opportunity to collaborate with Louis Vuitton alongside jewelry designer Camille Miceli, in a collection called Blason. The collection included pieces that combined white gold with diamonds and yellow gold with diamonds.

Helen Lasichanh and Pharrell Williams attend The 2021 Met Gala Celebrating In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion at Metropolitan Museum of Art on September 13, 2021 in New York City. Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images

6. Chanel

The relationship between Pharrell and Chanel began in 2011, when he was rumored to be in talks with the fashion house for a collaboration. After building a rapport with the late couture Creative Director Karl Lagerfeld, Pharrell was asked to join a short promotional film entitled Reincarnation with Cara Delevingne (P also composed an original song for the film titled “CC The World”). In 2015, Williams became the first man to be featured in a major Chanel campaign. From there, Pharrell was featured in campaigns for the Gabrielle bag, a partner on the limited-edition NMD x Chanel sneakers, and was allowed to create his own unisex capsule collection in 2019 called “Chanel Pharrell,” which featured apparel and accessories inspired by his personal style. 

Pharrell Williams, shoe detail, attends the 23rd Annual Hollywood Film Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on November 03, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California. Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for HFA

5. Adidas / Humanrace

Since 2014, Pharrell has released numerous sneaker models throughout his partnership with Adidas. The NMD x Human Race collab, the Human Race x NMD x Chanel limited edition sneakers, the Stan Smith makeovers with three bold colorways known as the “solid” pack — outside of Kanye with Yeezy, Pharrell has been the longest partnership Adidas has shared with another rap artist. In 2016, after two years of designing his own interpretation of signature Adidas sneakers, Pharrell launched Human Race as a unisex apparel, skin care and sneaker line that provides high-quality basic streetwear. 

Pharrell Williams and Nigo show off the sunglasses they designed. Photo by Gregory Pace/FilmMagic

4. Sunglasses Collabs

Early on in their relationship, Nigo (former owner and creator of BAPE) and Pharrell were able to use their relationship to launch their own clothing brand Billionaire Boys Club (BBC). A year after its launch, the duo were given the opportunity to design a range of sunglasses for Louis Vuitton known as Millionaire sunglasses. Commissioned under then-creative director Marc Jacobs, the project was Pharrell’s first time collaborating with a major haute couture house. Years later, Virgil Abloh brought back the Millionaire sunglasses from the archives for his Louis Vuitton debut, labeling them as 1.1 Millionaires. 

In 2022, Pharrell unveiled a new set of sunglasses, this time with Tiffany and Co. Referring to them as “Watchers,” not much was shared about the collaboration between the two, aside from Pharrell telling Women’s Wear Daily that “Tiffany and I are engaged” when he first revealed their then-upcoming partnership. Following their release, the Watchers were called out for copying an emerald pair of diamond-encrusted spectacles from Mughal Antiques.

Pharrell Williams of N.E.R.D performs onstage during adidas Creates 747 Warehouse St., an event in basketball culture, on February 16, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for Adidas

3. Joopiter

Announced in an interview with the Financial Times, Joopiter served as Pharrell’s own independent auction house company, where he offered up items from his own collection. Through social media and an in-person pop-up, diehard fans and enthusiasts were able to see some of the iconic items that were later auctioned off to the highest bidder, including his Princess Anne High School marching band varsity jacket (most notably worn in the N.E.R.D “Maybe” music video), 18k gold Blackberry that appeared in his legendary Rap City freestyle, gold monogrammed Sony Playstation, and Jacob & Co pieces like the N.E.R.D character pendant chain, gold Skateboard P pendant chain, and N.E.R.D Brain white gold pendant chain (most notably worn in the Clipse’s “Mr. Me Too” music video). It’s estimated that sales were as high as $3.2 million in total for all items, with figures like Drake, Kid Cudi, and Kim Kardashian cashing in on the memorabilia.

Pharrell Williams during Charlize Theron, Pharrell Williams and Reverend Run Visit MTV's "TRL" - October 13, 2005 at MTV Studios in New York City, New York, United States. Photo by Michael Loccisano/FilmMagic

2. BAPE

Before Pharrell’s couture collaborations with Chanel and Louis Vuitton, his friendship with Nigo launched BAPE (and eventually BBC) into global streetwear fashion. Despite BAPE being around since 1993, it’s Pharrell who’s often credited for popularizing the Japanese streetwear brand. Meeting through their mutual jeweler Jacob the Jeweler, the two bonded over their interests in fashion, skating, hip-hop, and all things they considered cool. In 2006, Pharrell gave BAPE’s signature “Road Sta” sneaker a makeover, with three color variants and a comic-stylized face of himself on its heel. To this day, the classic era of BAPE in the early 2000s — specifically the Road Sta collab — is in high demand from resellers, streetwear enthusiasts, and major Pharrell fans alike. 

Singer Pharrell Williams and Nigo attend a press conference to announce the launch of the Billionare Boys Club apparel line and Ice Cream footwear collection August 25, 2004 in New York City. Photo by Peter Kramer/Getty Images

1. Billionaire Boys Club / ICECREAM

It’d be impossible for Pharrell to be the fashion icon and revered designer he is today without the impact and legacy of Billionaire Boys Club. Founded in 2003 by Williams, manager Rob Walker, and longtime best friend Nigo, BBC’s goal was to popularize streetwear in the high fashion scene, with the brand a fusion of Japanese streetwear, pop culture, skater culture, space travel, and hip-hop. As discussed in a Complex oral history about the creation of Billionaire Boys Club, the brand had its debut in the music video for “Frontin’,” forever immortalizing the aesthetic that would be associated with BBC and Pharrell’s most iconic fashion era.

In 2004, the brand expanded into sneakers with a skate-centric footwear line called ICECREAM. Throughout the last 20 years of BBC’s existence, they’ve partnered with JAY-Z, Comme des Garcons, Pokemon, and NY Yankees, expanded into Billionaire Girls Club for female consumers, and opened flagship stores in New York City, London, and Tokyo. That astronaut logo has become an iconic fashion symbol in its own right, allowing Pharrell to become one of the most influential fashion figures in the world, and one of the most powerful Black men in hip-hop and fashion.