On Wednesday, 25th June, the world watched as Louis Vuitton unveiled its Men’s Spring-Summer 2026 Collection at Paris Fashion Week. But this wasn’t just another luxury runway. This was a heartfelt tribute. An homage to India. Under the creative direction of Pharrell Williams, LV didn’t just incorporate Indian elements; it celebrated them. From tiny motifs to the immersive atmosphere, India was everywhere. And it was done right.
The Floor Was the Story
One of the most captivating aspects of the show was its floor. An artwork in itself. Bombay-based architect Bijoy Jain of Studio Mumbai brought his deeply rooted sensibility to the stage. Using timber, local marble, and colored stone, he reimagined LV’s iconic Damier check pattern. But this version felt lived-in. Like memories underfoot.
Jain explained:
“I’m interested in the exploration of all possibilities. If you look at your best work, it’s a work that you had no idea that that’s what you could do. You have to come back to the point of being in full exposure of not knowing the outcome. Snakes and Ladders was the origin of the thought. It’s the etiquette of how one moves in a space, and how one makes things. For me, it’s a cosmic diagram. It’s like a mandala, but set in this idea of a game where everybody has to ascend.”
The Runway (Louis Vuitton)
Pharrell’s India: A Personal Connection
Pharrell Williams, now a few seasons into his role as Men’s Creative Director at Louis Vuitton. Has visited India multiple times. His admiration is evident, not performative, but deeply personal.
“I’ve admired Bijoy, and his work for years, and I was honored when he agreed to collaborate on the set design for the show in Paris. India has always inspired me. It’s where Snakes and Ladders was born, and the game felt like the perfect metaphor for life: the climbs, the falls, the lessons. I had imagined the set as a living Snakes and Ladders board. Something more than a stage, something symbolic, and alive. This collaboration was a meeting of minds, human, intentional, and full of spirit.”
Sound — A Rhythmic, Punjabi Invocation
Indian producer A.R. Rahman co-created the runway soundtrack“Yaara,” a Punjabi track blending folk, electronic, and gospel elements. The music was measured yet moving. And it echoed the fusion of tradition, and modernity seen throughout.
The Details
Trunks
The LV trunks stood proud mid-runway. Like heirlooms from a purana bazaar. Each was encrusted with crystal inlays, and adorned in delicate Indian motifs: elephants, palm trees, tropical creepers. They felt like postcards from an India both imagined and remembered. Echoes of The Darjeeling Limited came alive, only this time, with jewel-toned reverence.
The detailed trunks. (Louis Vuitton)
Silhouettes, Textures & Trinkets
Pharrell draped the models in sunlight. There was something undeniably Indian in the way the clothes flowed. The washed cashmere silks, coffee-indigo denims, metallic yarn shell suits, and pastel hues that seemed softened by years under the sun.
Chappals took the runway too. Paduka-inspired open footwear, walking hand in hand with crystal-studded hiking boots. Details mattered: bandanas, chain belts, LV Jazz sneakers.
The SS26 Looks. (Louis Vuitton)
Color & Craft
The collection’s palette was pulled from an Indian summer. The turmeric yellow, zamak brass, terracotta, and sunflower brown. It mirrored Rajasthani havelis and weathered street corners. The fabrics were faded with intention. Sun-kissed, distressed, worn like memory. An ode to Indian everyday royalty.
The Looks. (Louis Vuitton)
India was not a theme. It was the project’s backbone. Be it the architect, fabrics, music, or prints, the creative collaboration. The show felt intentional, humble, and deeply rooted. While many resort to tokenism when referencing India, Pharrell Williams, and Louis Vuitton achieved something more: resonance. India wasn’t borrowed. It was dialogued with, in wood, stitch, rhythm, and movement.
