Pharrell Williams Launches Creative Brand And Community Platform That Pays Homage To Virginia Roots

Pharrell Williams has launched a new venture that pays homage to his roots.

Williams, a famed producer from Virginia, has numerous hits in his music catalog, but his impact extends beyond the entertainment industry.

In 2020 he launched the Black Ambition Prize competition, which provides capital to underrepresented entrepreneurs with innovative ideas. As of 2024, it has awarded nearly $13 million to 131 entrepreneurs since the program’s inception, according to the organization’s website.

As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Williams was named Louis Vuitton’s men’s creative director in 2023. He was the second Black designer to hold the position, succeeding the late Virgil Abloh.

“Over here, they lift us,” Williams told The New York Times about being the second Black designer in the role.

“They appreciate what we do. They see the talent that we have,” he continued.

Furthermore, Louis Vuitton Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Pietro Beccari weighed in on Williams’ position, according to Forbes, commenting, “The way in which he [Williams] breaks boundaries across the various worlds he explores aligns with Louis Vuitton’s status as a Cultural Maison, reinforcing its values of innovation, pioneer spirit and entrepreneurship.”

Pharrell Williams and VIRGINIA

That’s not all for Williams. His ventures also include JOOPITER auction, an auction house that sold a rare Michael Jordan trading card for $2.5 million in June, according to AFROTECH™.

Next up for Williams is VIRGINIA, a creative community and brand that will serve as a “destination where music, fashion, design, and community converge,” notes Hypebeast. The name VIRGINIA is a “pseudonym and a playground for experimentation, storytelling, and direct connection,” a news release mentions, per Hypebeast.

VIRGINIA will serve as a home for Williams’ creative endeavors, which include:

• Live events,
• Limited-edition merch drops
• New music
• Early access to collaborations

“Virginia is where I’m from, but it’s also who I am creatively. It’s my space to dream, and a way to connect with people who are dreaming too,” Williams said, according to Hypebeast.