Pharrell at Louis Vuitton celebrates the diversity of human skin in Paris UNESCO show

PARIS (AP) — In the run-up to the Paris Olympics, Louis Vuitton celebrated the beauty of humans and their skin in a star-studded menswear showcase at the headquarters of the U.N. cultural agency UNESCO in Paris. Models wearing garb in all the hues of human flesh paraded around a giant globe on grass patterned in Vuitton's signature Damier check, creating a visual symphony of diversity.

“It was an homage to human beings,” said menswear designer Pharrell Williams on Tuesday night, who name-checked the Summer Olympics, for a show that felt like a journey across continents against a backdrop of the Eiffel Tower and a giant shell globe. “It went from black to dark brown to brown to light brown to beige, a little bit of gray … and then finally to white,” the singer-turned-couturier said of the spring display celebrating diversity.

The spectacular collection prominently featured checks in shades of green, blue, and black, drawing inspiration from the designs of Air Afrique luggage. This airline, which operated from the 1960s and for decades, has become a symbol of diasporic creativity, according to Vuitton. With contributions from creatives like Lamine Diaoune and Djiby Kebe, Williams infused the collection with a sense of global unity.

Inspired by the U.N. cultural headquarters populated with ambassadors, Williams explored various archetypes. The diplomat was featured in deep, rich tones of 1970s-inflected tailoring. The explorer appeared in sturdy yet stylish outerwear, including utility jackets and vests. The dandy, another key figure, strutted down the Damier-check grass runway in jackets and coats adorned with rhinestones and pearl embroidery.