On Tuesday night, Pharrell Williams made his spectacular menswear debut for Louis Vuitton in Paris, in what was one of the most hotly anticipated fashion events in years.
Held on the Pont Neuf, next to the brand's headquarters, Williams was able to exercise his considerable star power to shut down a great chunk of central Paris, with the likes of LeBron James, Kim Kardashian, Beyonce and Lewis Hamilton all in attendance.
Rihanna – the star of Williams's first campaign for the house – arrived with her partner A$AP Rocky. Lenny Kravitz was there with Naomi Campbell, as was Nigo, Kenzo designer and long-time Williams collaborator.
The models, including ex-YSL designer Stefano Pilati, walked to an unreleased track by American rapper Pusha T, accompanied by a choir. To close the show, Williams got on stage and performed with Jay-Z.
So what about the clothes? With a message of “love, peace and joy”, Williams doubled down on Vuitton motifs, in particular the checkered Damier print.
Mixed with camouflage, to become "damouflage" – and used in varying scale from minute to huge and edged with the blanket stitch – the print arrived across shorts, denim, hats, floor-trailing trench coats, suits, varsity jackets and bags.
Two looks came out in Vuitton’s stiff epi leather – one as a coat, the other a varsity jacket and matching trousers, with Louis Vuitton splashed across the front. It felt like something out of Minecraft, while another coat carried a view of central Paris. At one point, a golf buggy piled high with Vuitton luggage whizzed down the runway, a tribute to the roots of the house.
Stepping into the shoes of Virgil Abloh, who died at age 41 in 2021, was never going to be easy, but Williams has pulled off the impossible by making Louis Vuitton his own.
With 73 looks that shifted from metallics through suiting and even some eveningwear thrown in for good measure, the show was about luxe told through leather, croc and upscaled denim, covered in the replicated stripes of epi.
While the styling felt a little heavy at times (how many bags is too many?), there is no denying the collection, with its boot-cut trousers and layering, run through with a streetwear snap, is immensely wearable. This was an assured, colourful and spectacular debut.
To take his bow, Williams walked the full length of the runway, visibly wiping away tears as the crowd applauded on its feet. He repeatedly dropped to one knee to bow to the audience, to acknowledge the outpouring of emotion.
Since the untimely death of Abloh, Louis Vuitton menswear has been in a holding pattern waiting for new leadership. If the show last night is anything to go by, it has found it in Williams, who in addition to being a producer, singer and humanitarian, can now be called a bona fide designer.
MATCH INFO
Euro 2020 qualifier
Fixture: Liechtenstein v Italy, Tuesday, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match is shown on BeIN Sports
TOURNAMENT INFO
Fixtures
Sunday January 5 - Oman v UAE
Monday January 6 - UAE v Namibia
Wednesday January 8 - Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 - Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 - UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid, Darius D’Silva, Karthik Meiyappan, Jonathan Figy, Vriitya Aravind, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Chirag Suri
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
