Star-filled Louis Vuitton show unveils East-meets-West streetwear in collaboration with Kenzo

PARIS (AP) — Celebrities including Bradley Cooper squeezed into Louis Vuitton Tuesday night as the brand transformed the Louvre’s historic heart into a stunning stage for streetwear at Paris Fashion Week.

Outside, limousines clogged the roads, and the crush of onlookers led to tense moments of crowd squishing at the entrance.

Inside, the drama continued with Hitchcockian flourishes, as an orchestra set the tone for Pharrell Williams’ latest menswear collection for LV, the crown jewel of conglomerate, LVMH.

This season, Pharrell teamed up with Nigo, the creative force behind Kenzo, another LVMH brand, for a wrapped up dive into Japanese and street aesthetics.

Together, they blended Pharrell’s Americana-inspired flared pants and rugged denim with Nigo’s loose, preppy silhouettes and intricate Japanese craftsmanship, creating a harmonious fusion of East and West.

The streetwear-heavy collection, a bold fusion of cultures and styles, saw cherry blossom motifs adorning embroidered varsity jackets.

Pharrell’s now-signature rugged denim and flared pants were enhanced with a nod from Japanese-born Nigo in the form of traditional eastern stitching, shibori-inspired techniques, and street influences.

However, as visually dazzling as the collection was, there were occasional moments when the abundance of elements — loose Asiatic cropped pants alongside Western bombers or camo-inspired prints, for instance — felt divergent. There were, after all, two cooks working on this fashion broth.

Accessories were a highlight, with Speedy bags reimagined in new colorways — such as Sakura-pink.

The partnership between Pharrell and Nigo was described in program notes as “a symbiosis between an archivist and a point of reference.” Pharrell emphasized the importance of honoring Japanese artistry while staying true to Louis Vuitton’s legacy of craftsmanship. Nigo’s contribution added his signature preppy streetwear edge, balancing meticulous detail with playful touches that echoed his Kenzo aesthetic.

While rare, such collaborations aren’t without precedent. In 2021, Versace and Fendi made headlines with their ‘Fendace’ collection, a designer swap that showcased the creativity possible when two distinct visions collide.

The transformation of the Louvre’s oldest courtyard, the Cour Carree, into a futuristic runway added another layer of grandeur.

Dramatic lighting and stark white decor contrasted with the venue's classical architectural majesty, while large, glass-fronted boxes surrounding the circular stage lit up at the finale, unveiling archival Louis Vuitton pieces and underlining the house’s philosophy of blending tradition and innovation.

The suspenseful soundtrack, with its Hitchcockian tones, elevated the atmosphere to cinematic heights at the beginning, fusing into foot-tapping bass as the collection filed by.

Louis Vuitton’s VIP list reflected its vast cultural reach, with guests spanning the worlds of cinema, music and sports. Hollywood stars Adrien Brody and Bradley Cooper represented the silver screen, mingling with K-pop sensations J-Hope and Jackson Wang, who brought their global fanbase into the mix. From the music world, rap legends Travis Scott, J Balvin and Future added their edge, while basketball phenom Victor Wembanyama, who was seen tapping his foot to the music, showcased the connection to the athletic elite.

A man presents a suitcase as part of the men's Louis Vuitton Fall-Winter 2025-2026 collection, that was presented in Paris, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

A model wears a creation as part of the men's Louis Vuitton Fall-Winter 2025-2026 collection, that was presented in Paris, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Models wear creations as part of the men's Louis Vuitton Fall-Winter 2025-2026 collection, that was presented in Paris, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Pharrell Williams, right, walks with with Nigo, artistic designer for Kenzo, with who co-creates a collection, after the men's Louis Vuitton Fall-Winter 2025-2026 collection, that was presented in Paris, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Pharrell Williams, right, walks with with Nigo, artistic designer for Kenzo, with who co-creates a collection, after the men's Louis Vuitton Fall-Winter 2025-2026 collection, that was presented in Paris, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Models wear creations as part of the men's Louis Vuitton Fall-Winter 2025-2026 collection, that was presented in Paris, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Pharrell Williams reacts after the men's Louis Vuitton Fall-Winter 2025-2026 collection, that was presented in Paris, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Pharrell Williams, right, walks with with Nigo, artistic designer for Kenzo, with who co-creates a collection, after the men's Louis Vuitton Fall-Winter 2025-2026 collection, that was presented in Paris, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

PHOENIX (AP) — Dawn Staley and Geno Auriemma’s coaching rivalry has had something for everyone on and off the court. It reached a dramatic peak Friday night, and the heated exchange between them stirred all the elements that make their matchups must-see TV.

Auriemma said it started at the beginning of the game, but the ending is what everyone will talk about.

A visibly upset Auriemma went over to Staley in the waning seconds of South Carolina's 62-48 victory over his UConn team in the Final Four and appeared to chastise her before the two shook hands. Staley responded with “don't do that" while assistant coaches from both teams separated them.

Auriemma later said the exchange was about the lack of a traditional pregame handshake between the coaches. Staley said she was confused.

“I have no idea,” Staley said when asked what happened. “But I’m going to let you know this: I’m of integrity. I’m of integrity. So if I did something wrong to Geno, I had no idea what I did. I guess he thought I didn’t shake his hand at the beginning of the game. I didn’t know. I went down there pregame, shook everybody on his staff’s hand.

“I don’t know what he came with after the game, but, hey, sometimes things get heated. We move on.”

The Gamecocks will play UCLA in their third straight title game on Sunday, but not everyone was willing to move on from the exchange so quickly.

Auriemma immediately left the court without shaking hands when the game ended, and the moment quickly spread on social media.

Hall of Famer Lisa Leslie, a former Olympic teammate of Staley, posted on X: “It’s a real shame that #Geno took the low road! We have all had to lose with class! Geno of the @UConnWBB needs to start with an apology!!!”

There were no apologies Friday night, but Auriemma explained why he was frustrated.

“For 41 years I’ve been coaching and, I don’t know, 25 Final Fours,” Auriemma said. “The protocol is before the game you meet at halfcourt. Anybody see that before? Two coaches meet at halfcourt and they shake hands, correct? Ever see it? They announce it on the loudspeaker.

“I waited there for like three minutes. So it is what it is.”

Auriemma and Staley have been the gold standard in women's basketball for years, and their battle for supremacy has produced some of the most thrilling moments in women's college basketball over the last decade.

They've coached some of the greatest talent in the game. They have a combined 15 national championships and nearly 2,000 wins with their respective programs, and their teams have faced each other 15 times.

Despite the intensity on the court, Staley and Auriemma have typically exchanged public pleasantries, complimenting each others' successes and importance to the women's game. They sparked conversations in 2023 when Staley defended her team after Auriemma criticized the Gamecocks' physicality — but their rivalry had never boiled over in the way it did on Friday.

Auriemma ripped the officiating in the third after the Gamecocks were not whistled for a foul in the quarter. He continued to voice his displeasure with how Staley spoke to the refs in his postgame news conference.

“I’m of the opinion that if I ever talk to an official like that, I would get tossed,” he said. “So I just want to make sure there’s not a double standard, that some people are allowed to talk to officials like that and other people are not. That’s it.”

Staley did not want to talk about the exchange in her postgame news conference.

“You can ask Geno the question,” she said. “He’s the one that initiated the conversation. I don’t want what happened there to dampen what we were able to accomplish today.”

AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley, left, and UConn head coach Geno Auriemma argue after a woman's NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley, right, yells at UConn head coach Geno Auriemma, left, after a woman's NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley, left, and UConn head coach Geno Auriemma argue after a woman's NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley, left, and UConn head coach Geno Auriemma argue after a woman's NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)