Who is Henry Taylor, the artist Pharrell referenced in his debut for Louis Vuitton?

Pharrell‘s debut at Louis Vuitton ushered in a new era in contemporary luxury fashion with a powerful vision and concept that united cultures and urban communities, between hip-hop legends and Parisian business moguls in eclectic prints, monograms and artistic references. A narrative in which he also dissolved Henry Taylor’s work through microscopically embroidered portraits on tailoring and denim pieces.

The grandeur of this catwalk, beyond its playful identity, was due to a host of factors such as its atmospheric setting inhabited by an inordinate number of stardom personalities, as well as the glorification of his designs stimulated by a series of artistic and cultural references that ended up elevating his opening collection.

HENRY TAYLOR’S WORK

Henry Taylor thus became one of Pharrell’s absolute sources of inspiration when it came to devising some of the pieces in which he diluted the African-American artist’s identity and paintings centered on the subject, and the telling of his stories.

The Los Angeles-based artist is known for synthesizing in his work images and figures from history, popular culture and personal experience into a single visual language that underlies a critical lens through which to contemplate the life of the black community in the U.S., both past and future.

Although Taylor stands out for his portraits, his work encompasses many genres and currents inspired by artists such as Matisse or Basquiat. Within this stylistic diversity, the conditions of black America are brought out in a transcendental, witty and joyful way to represent society, and document events with an undercurrent of social criticism.

Henry expressively portrays the entire racialized community with bright colors in different contexts and scenarios in which he addresses issues such as his own family, or draws diverse personalities such as athletes, homeless, waiters, hospital patients or celebrities in the same generational framework.

PHARRELL’S ARTISTIC TRIBUTE

In this sense, Taylor’s paintings, beyond having become the backdrop for Kendrick Lamar’s concerts, in the form of colossal canvases that just intensified and enhanced his artistic concept, Pharrell transferred them to the fashion world in his own homage to the famous painter and sculptor through micro embroideries that embellished Louis Vuitton suits alternating with the iconic LV monogram.

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In spiritual synchronization with the feelings and emotions that inspired Williams’ men’s collection: love, togetherness and healing, the American artist’s representational iconography infused historical value into looks such as oversized tailored suits, denim or accessories that dissolved into the same powerful narrative with which to capture contemporaneity and the essence of the human condition in a real way.