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)

ISTANBUL (AP) — The head of Turkey's main opposition party visited jailed Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on Tuesday after six nights of massive protests calling for his release.

Imamoglu, arrested on March 19 on corruption charges, is seen as the main challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s 22-year rule. His arrest has been widely viewed as politically motivated and sparked demonstrations, some turning violent, across the country. The government insists Turkey’s judiciary is independent and free of political influence.

Ozgur Ozel, the leader of Imamoglu's Republican People’s Party, or CHP, arrived at Silivri prison, west of Istanbul, in a convoy of vehicles Tuesday morning.

After a two-hour meeting, Ozel told reporters that he was “ashamed on behalf of those who govern Turkey of the atmosphere I am in and the situation that Turkey is being put through.”

He described Imamoglu and two jailed CHP district mayors he also met as “three lions inside, standing tall, with their heads held high … proud of themselves, their families, their colleagues, not afraid.”

Ozel announced the night before that Tuesday evening would be CHP's final rally outside Istanbul’s City Hall, calling for people to join in. He also said the party would appoint a member to the municipal council to act as mayor in Imamoglu's place, staving off the possibility of a state-appointed replacement.

Meanwhile, Turkish authorities have been cracking down on journalists as protests have grown.

The Media and Law Studies Association, a civil society group, said eight journalists who were detained “for covering protests in Istanbul,” banned by authorities, had been brought to the city’s Caglayan Courthouse. They are accused of “violating the law on meetings and demonstrations," the group said.

The journalists were among 206 people prosecutors have recommended for imprisonment pending trial in relation to the protests, including left-wing activists rounded up at their homes in raids early on Monday.

Media workers’ unions have condemned the arrests as an “attack on press freedoms and the people’s right to learn the truth.”

Meanwhile, the head of the CHP's Istanbul branch, Ozgur Celik, shared a letter he had received from the prosecutor’s office ordering the removal of poster of Imamoglu. He said he would not comply.

“You will see more of Mayor Ekrem on the balconies of houses, in squares, on the streets and on the walls,” Celik posted on X.

Demonstrations in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir, as well as smaller cities and towns across Turkey, have been largely peaceful with protesters demanding Imamoglu’s release and an end to democratic backsliding. However, some turned violent, with officers deploying water cannons, tear gas and pepper spray and firing plastic pellets at protesters, some of whom have hurled stones, fireworks and other objects at riot police.

The governors of Ankara and Izmir on Tuesday extended bans on demonstrations to April 1 and March 29 respectively. The ban in Istanbul currently runs to March 27.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said early Tuesday that police had detained 43 “provocateurs” over what he said were “vile insults” hurled at Erdogan and his family at protests. Some 1,133 protesters were detained between Wednesday and Sunday, he said earlier.

Ozel and Imamoglu's social media accounts posted condemnations of insults hurled at Erdogan's mother.

Imamoglu has been jailed on suspicion of running a criminal organization, accepting bribes, extortion, illegally recording personal data and bid-rigging — accusations he has denied. He also faces prosecution on terror-related charges and has been suspended from duty as a “temporary measure.”

Alongside Imamoglu, 47 other people have been jailed pending trial, including a key aide and two district mayors from Istanbul. A further 44 suspects in the case alleging widespread graft at Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality were released under judicial control.

Although Turkey is not due for another election until 2028, there is a reasonable possibility that Erdogan will call for an early vote in order to run for another term.

Imamoglu has been confirmed as the candidate for the CHP and has performed well in recent polls against Erdogan. He was elected mayor of Turkey’s largest city in March 2019, in a major blow to Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party, which had controlled Istanbul alongside its predecessors for a quarter-century.

University students sit next to anti riot police officers during a protest after Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested and sent to prison, in Istanbul, Turkey, Monday, March 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Huseyin Aldemir)

Riot police fire tear gas pellets to disperse protesters in Istanbul, Turkey, Monday, March 24, 2025, during a protest after Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested and sent to prison. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

People shout slogans next to anti riot police officers during a protest after Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested and sent to prison, in Istanbul, Turkey, Monday, March 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)