Pharrell brings India to Paris: LV SS26 show features handcrafted trunks and artful set by Indian architect

At Paris Fashion Week SS26, Pharrell Williams didn’t just showcase a collection, he unveiled a cultural bridge. Reimagining luxury through the lens of Indian craftsmanship, the Louis Vuitton men’s creative director infused the runway with vibrant nods to the subcontinent. From intricately detailed trunks inspired by traditional Indian artistry to a hand-painted set designed by an Indian architect, the show was more than fashion.

Louis Vuitton's snake and ladder set at SS 2026 show in Paris

You might not realize that the classic board game Snakes and Ladders traces its roots back to ancient India, where it was originally known as Moksha Patam. Conceived in the 2nd century BC, the game was designed to teach children Hindu moral lessons—ladders symbolizing virtues, snakes representing vices. Pharrell Williams took this age-old concept and magnified it into a grand-scale spectacle for Louis Vuitton’s Spring/Summer 2026 menswear show, transforming Paris’ Centre Pompidou into a giant, 2,700-square-meter game board. The larger-than-life set marked a triumphant fifth season for Williams at the helm of Louis Vuitton and was a striking close to the first day of Paris Fashion Week Men’s.

The imaginative set was conceived by acclaimed Indian architect Bijoy Jain of Studio Mumbai, known for his expansive, spiritual, and nature-rooted architectural works. Merging artisanal Indian craftsmanship with modern design principles, Jain and his studio created a tactile, cosmic landscape using wood, natural pigments, and traditional weaving techniques. Constructed in Mumbai and assembled on site in Paris, the installation came alive under the setting sun, with five serpentine structures winding through a clay-toned checkerboard in the iconic Pompidou piazza. The show drew an elite crowd, including Beyoncé and Jay-Z, all gathered to witness this poetic fusion of art, culture, and fashion. “I am grateful and privileged to embark on this journey with Pharrell,” Jain remarked about the collaboration.

At its core, the set served as a metaphor for life’s unpredictable path—growth, failure, transformation—and the collection echoed this sentiment. Pharrell continued his vision of contemporary dandyism with a fresh lens on Indian heritage. From open-toed paduka-style shoes and cricket-inspired sweaters to rich woven textures and ornate embellishments, the clothing reflected both reverence and reinvention. As always with Pharrell, the final result was eclectic, expressive, and unapologetically bold—fusing ancient wisdom with futuristic fashion.

Louis Vuitton’s SS26 collection made a powerful statement not through spectacle, but through subtlety and reverence. At a fashion week known for its theatrics, Pharrell Williams’ latest offering stood apart by leaning into craftsmanship, storytelling, and cultural depth. The runway was lined with LV trunks, housed in vitrines like precious museum artifacts. Some shimmered with crystals, while others bore motifs of elephants and palm trees—symbols deeply rooted in the cultural fabric of South and Southeast Asia. The collection also paid clever homage to The Darjeeling Limited, Wes Anderson’s whimsical 2007 film, featuring tropical motifs, crystal-embellished hoodies, and even tiny frog figurines adorning sharp tailoring. These elements added a playful yet thoughtful dimension to a line that felt both deeply personal and globally aware.

Through silhouettes and styling, the collection merged the best of contemporary Indian fashion with Vuitton’s timeless tailoring. Earthy tones, muted pastels, and khaki dominated the palette, balanced by pops of vivid colour. You saw crisp blazers, short-sleeved shirts, sharply tailored trousers, and vibrant jackets that whispered refinement without losing their edge. The signature LV monogram mingled seamlessly with Indian-inspired patterns, echoing the archival LV x Darjeeling Limited pieces that featured throughout the collection—from intricately embroidered bags to shoes adorned with palm trees and wild animals.

Despite the rich references, the show never slipped into exoticism. India wasn’t presented as a costume or inspiration board, it was a co-creator. The set, the soundscape, the design elements all bore the fingerprints of Indian architects, artists, and artisans who helped shape the vision from the ground up. The storytelling was layered in fabric, form, and detail. LV SS26 didn’t shout. It didn’t need to. In a season full of noise, it resonated by staying grounded and anchored in collaboration, craft, and quiet confidence. A new kind of luxury walked that runway: informed, intentional, and beautifully aware of its place in the world.