It’s not quite standard-issue tabloid fare, but Pharrell Williams and Tiffany & Co. are betrothed. “You know, Tiffany and I are engaged,” he told WWD, moments before
posing for a photo alongside Ye and Tyler, the Creator outside of their friend Nigo’s first Kenzo show, with a sly smile. What exactly does that mean? Tough to say, but it most assuredly will involve diamonds.
Sixty-one diamonds, to be precise, according to LVMH heir and Tiffany exec Alexandre Arnault, who Instagrammed a photo of Pharrell at the show wearing a pair of custom Tiffany x Pharrell glittering, gem-ringed sunglasses, clocking in at over 25 carats total. The lenses are flanked by two emerald-cut emeralds (you couldn’t get more emerald if you tried!), all set into an 18-karat gold frame.
When WWD pressed Pharrell for more details about the collaboration, he clarified: “No, it’s different. It’s a partnership.…It’s about seeing things differently,” which is also how he captioned his own Instagram post of the glasses later that day. “I can’t give it all away now. I don’t want to go too much into detail, OK, because we’re here today to celebrate my brother Nigo.” (For what it’s worth, Kenzo is also owned by LVMH.)
The French luxury conglomerate finalized its acquisition of Tiffany & Co. in early 2021, and has been quick to fold the 185-year-old jewelry retailer into its very 21st-century, collaboration-heavy corporate strategy. (Twenty-nine-year-old Alexandre, the Aimé Leon Dore-wearing son of LVMH tycoon Bernard Arnault, took over as the brand’s executive vice president of product and communications shortly after the buy.) They kicked off the New Tiffany’s, so to speak, with an ad campaign featuring Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and a giant, Tiffany blue-hued Basquiat; a few months later, there was Tiffany x Supreme. For LVMH, a buzzy creative partnership with Pharrell, a fashion veteran whose talents have long bridged style and music, makes some sense. They also have history—Pharrell partnered up with Louis Vuitton for a fine jewelry collection back in 2008, just as stylish mainstream celebs were starting to get into the capital-F Fashion game. The musician has even already made statement sunglasses for Chanel (not owned by LVMH), so it’s safe to say he knows a thing or two about…seeing things differently.