Everyone knows at least one Pharrell song, whether it be the litany of R&B staples he’s produced or even his own nauseatingly catchy Despicable Me hit, “Happy.” You’ve probably even seen that wide-brimmed hat that is utterly synonymous with his brand. Pharrell Williams is a cultural institution. Thus, it’s not surprising that Williams’ collaboration with Moncler, a mainstay of the fashion world, would cause a stir. For the 70th anniversary of the Moncler Maya, the outerwear brand tapped seven guest designers to come and rethink the classic coat. And, to cap off the series, Pharrell gave his spin. 

For his contribution to the ‘Moncler Maya 70’ series, Pharrell had a vision of texture. Rather than rethink the structure of the coat, which has brought such acclaim to the Moncler brand throughout the year, Pharrell would rethink the material. Williams commented, “How do you define the last 70 years? Getting to design the iconic Maya jacket with my own twist was a total honor. I knew from the beginning I wanted it to be all rubber.” From this design impetus comes a brand new Maya, built primarily of molded polymeric material and dotted with an embossed logo. 

Pharrell’s brand new Maya also brings an image campaign, a staple of the Moncler brand. For his Maya 70 campaign, Pharrell enlisted fellow artist and friend Tobe Nwigwe. The Best New Artist nominee was pictured sporting the new coat, modeling for a sensual, black-and-white campaign. “I’m a huge fan of Tobe, and the way he combines music and fashion to make his own unique style,” Williams stated. “He’s the only person I know that could rock a rubber jacket and make it look even better.” And oh, Nwigwe rocks it. 

This is not Pharrell’s first soiree in the fashion world. From his instrumental role in the growth of streetwear to his present partnership with high-end brands like CHANEL, Williams has always been a part of the emerging fashion world. Hell, he’s even collaborated with Moncler before, crafting two other outerwear pieces for the brand back in 2010. It seems that Williams’ Maya 70 jacket is an affirmation of his design prowess and a demonstration of his multi-faceted talent. He has an eye for the creative, a force that takes him from music to film to fashion. Moncler is just a step along this long, long road.