"We wish our culture and our community didn't have to suffer so much for us to be where we are," added the artist, who was appointed earlier this year to succeed Virgil Abloh, who died in November 2021.
Pharrell Williams is the second successive African-American to take over men's fashion at Louis Vuitton, a sign that hip-hop culture has established itself in the world of luxury.
"My nomination is a tribute" to Virgil, he added, while it is extremely rare for black designers to have positions of this level in luxury houses.
"I think brands are waking up, slowly but surely, I think they understand that we have taste and that we have something really interesting to offer," he said.
A portrait of the American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat in an exhibition dedicated to him, September 19, 2006 in Milan © FILIPPO MONTEFORTE / AFP/Archives
He cited among the inspiring examples Basquiat, Prince and celebrities he is close to such as basketball star LeBron James, rapper Jay-Z, Beyoncé or Rihanna who, pregnant, is the face of his campaign for the men's collection he will present Tuesday night.
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