The concept of cultural appropriation is generally highly controversial and not always viewed positively. Luxury brand Louis Vuitton took the risk with surfing.
Big wave surfer Andrew Cotton called it a 26-foot left-hand barreling wave that "looks a lot like Mullaghmore on a good day."
And it sure did.
Imagine a fashion show staged inside a breaking wave.
There was sand stretched across the runway, an eight-meter-high wall of water crashed behind the models, surfboards resting against Louis Vuitton trunks, and hoodies, weathered denim, and wetsuit-inspired tailoring drifting between sharply cut jackets and luxurious knitwear.
So, what was going on in Pharrell Williams' mind to have surfing as the philosophy behind Louis Vuitton's Spring/Summer 2027 menswear collection presentation?
The collection, unveiled on the evening of June 23 during Paris Men's Fashion Week, transformed the Cité Internationale Universitaire into an imagined coastline where luxury met the sea, and surfing became a metaphor for cultural exchange, craftsmanship, and freedom.
"Our guiding force is water," Louis Vuitton explained in the show's official notes, describing the ocean as "The Great Equalizer," a universal element capable of connecting people, traditions, and coastlines around the world.
Rather than celebrating one specific surf destination, the Maison presented what it called "a dandy experience grounded in the rhythm of surfing tradition," suggesting that surfing transcends geography and belongs to a shared global culture.
That idea flowed through every element of the show.
But how was everything morphed from concept to reality?
A wave rises in Paris
Instead of constructing a traditional runway, Pharrell designed an enormous tidal wave measuring roughly 26 feet (8 meters) high and more than 120 feet (37 meters) across.
Real water poured continuously over the structure while models emerged from its center before walking across a sand-covered boardwalk beneath the Paris evening sky.
The production instantly became one of the most ambitious sets ever created for a Louis Vuitton menswear presentation.
But organizers insisted the spectacle wasn't merely theatrical.
According to Louis Vuitton, the water circulated through a closed-loop system supplied by Eau de Paris before being returned to the municipal network.
The sand would later be reused for community sports facilities, while wooden seating from previous shows was repurposed for the event.
Simultaneously, the company announced a new partnership with Coral Gardeners to support coral reef restoration in French Polynesia, linking the collection's surfing narrative to ocean conservation efforts.
Does it sound like compensation for the cultural appropriation? The reader and spectator decide.
Surfing, not beachwear
Although surfboards accompanied several looks, the collection avoided clichés.
Instead of loud Hawaiian shirts or tropical prints, Pharrell focused on the textures and wear patterns associated with life by the sea.
Denim appeared faded as though bleached by years of saltwater, leather looked weathered by sun and sea air, wetsuit fabrics merged into tailoring.
There were also oversized knit robes evoking mornings after dawn surf sessions, while striped shorts and skate-inspired sneakers reflected the everyday uniforms worn by surfers far from the shoreline.
Louis Vuitton described the materials as "sun-worn fabrics" with "sea-centric embellishments."
Fashion critics largely agreed that the collection marked one of Pharrell's strongest outings since becoming Louis Vuitton Men's Creative Director, praising its balance between spectacle and wearable design.
Rather than inventing fantasy surf fashion, many saw the collection as elevating garments that surfers and skaters genuinely wear into the language of luxury.
But what would surfers think?
Despite Pharrell's broader vision of surfing as less about the board itself and more about patience, movement, adaptability, and respect for nature, there is always an element of nonsense and kookiness attached.
The sacred idea of a barreling wave appropriated by models to showcase luxurious clothing is, for many lifetime surfers, the confirmation that the sport's essence has been subjected to erosion from the outside, be it Hollywood, mainstream marketing, or luxury brands.
A heat wave complicates the message
The positive symbolism hailed by Louis Vuitton, however, unfolded under difficult circumstances.
Paris was experiencing one of its most intense June heat waves in recent years, with temperatures approaching 104 °F (40 °C).
As spectators gathered around the giant waterfall, many were visibly struggling with the heat. People succumbed to the heat.
The Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode said some brands shifted their presentations to earlier hours because of the extreme temperatures.
Louis Vuitton, meanwhile, said it increased water supplies and staff breaks to improve working conditions before the show.
The contrast between an enormous artificial wave and a city coping with extreme heat also sparked criticism from some residents and environmental observers, even as Louis Vuitton emphasized its water recycling measures and sustainability initiatives.
Pharrell treated surfers much like dandies: people with a distinctive dress code shaped by their environment, even though surf culture goes deeper and beyond those ethereal artistic concepts.
Louis Vuitton proposed surfing as a shared cultural vocabulary but, again, failed to put surfers and real waves at the heart of their creative output.
We've seen luxury companies selling expensive surfboards, but we had never seen anything like this.
Despite the boldness of the move, which is hard not to acknowledge, has the French luxury house really made surfing a favor? Has the surfboard become a fashion accessory, second to a piece of clothing?
Words by Luís MP | Founder of SurferToday.com
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