Pharrell Williams, Louis Vuitton’s Men’s Creative Director and a longtime admirer of Eastern art and culture (particularly India) chose to spotlight the ancient game of Snakes and Ladders in 2025, the Year of the Snake on many Asian calendars. Intentional or not, the result was a runway rich in symbolism, creativity, and intricate cultural detail that added depth and dimension to the show.
Paris Fashion Week Men’s Spring-Summer 2026, held this past June outside the iconic Pompidou Center in Paris, featured a collaboration that honored Indian heritage. Pharrell invited renowned Indian architect Bijoy Jain to co-create the stage, centering on a striking revival of Gyan Chaupar, an ancient board game better known worldwide as Snakes and Ladders. The name translates to “the path of wisdom,” and the game itself dates back thousands of years. It was designed as a moral journey, where players advance through virtue and fall back through vice across nearly 300 squares. At its core, Gyan Chaupar embodies a profound philosophy: that wisdom can overcome evil. This was long before the game was simplified and popularized in the West. Pharrell’s choice to breathe new life into this cultural relic layered the runway with unexpected meaning and storytelling that felt both deliberate and deeply resonant.
Adding a contemporary twist to the ancient symbolism, Pharrell also revived a long-discontinued Louis Vuitton collection that first appeared in Wes Anderson’s 2007 film The Darjeeling Limited. Known for his whimsical storytelling and meticulous detail, Anderson’s film follows three brothers traveling across India by train, with a custom set of monogrammed luggage as a standout feature. Designed under Marc Jacobs’ leadership during his time at Louis Vuitton, this exclusive luggage collection was created specifically for the film. Each piece quickly became a collector’s item, auctioned off shortly after the movie’s release. Nearly two decades later, Pharrell has resurrected this cult classic, seamlessly blending cinematic nostalgia with contemporary runway appeal.
“The collection is not just about archive. It’s about archive and also the future and how it relates to us. We think about it. Today is yesterday and tomorrow.” by Pharrel William
For fashion enthusiasts eager to stay ahead of trends, Pharrell’s focus on understated elegance was clear. The runway showcased simple yet refined designs, featuring earthy tones, a renewed spotlight on trunk-style luggage, and meticulous tailoring, all hallmarks of the Quiet Luxury aesthetic. This was seamlessly intertwined with the rich cultural influences of India, embodying Pharrell’s vision of “Cultural Luxury” as Louis Vuitton’s creative director.
This runway not only marked Louis Vuitton’s shift toward Quiet Luxury, broadening its appeal beyond the traditional high-end elite, but also demonstrated how simplicity can elevate elegance and leave a lasting impression on the wearer.
credit image source:
https://www.instagram.com/louisvuitton/
credit source:
- https://www.houseofsolo.com/snakes-ladders-and-luxury-pharrells-indian-inspired-louis-vuitton-spring-2026-show/
- https://www.gq.com/story/louis-vuitton-ss26-show-paris-fashion-week
