Whether you think American musician Pharrell Williams is the right choice to take over from the late, great Virgil Abloh as head of menswear at Louis Vuitton, it’s hard to deny the influence the “Happy” hitmaker has had on men’s fashion over the past two decades. From his early days with hip-hop/rock band N.E.R.D, to his Grammy-winning Daft Punk era, Williams’ repeated nods to street culture and dedication to luxury have kept the 49-year-old in headlines doing what he does best – looking effortlessly cool. Here are eight times musician Pharrell in fact proved that fashion is his real passion. 1. That gigantic Vivienne Westwood hat When Williams showed up to the 2014 Grammy Awards wearing a red leather Adidas tracksuit and the now iconic hat, it wasn’t long before the look went viral. According to Grazia, the Daft Punk collaborator bought the accessory from Vivienne Westwood’s storied Kings Road boutique in London for about US$100 in the early 2000s. Based on a piece from her 1982 Buffalo Gals collection and reportedly inspired by Peruvian women’s hats, the piece is also reminiscent of New York’s breakdancing B-boys from the same period. 14 outfits that prove Doja Cat is 2023’s quirkiest style icon And while Williams’ donning of the hat quickly became an internet meme – being compared to everything from a Canadian mountie’s hat to the Arby’s logo – it was still one of the most memorable fashion moments of that year. 2. Shin show Perhaps in keeping with a man who doesn’t appear to have aged in 25 years, no one has done more to champion schoolboy-length short suits – or should that be suit shorts? – than the “Frontin’” singer. Pictured everywhere from Coachella to the Oscars in them, he’s repeatedly mixed things up, sometimes wearing camouflage patterns, sporty takes or denim. But one thing remains consistent: they’re always cut just above the knee, worn with pulled up socks (or no socks at all), and paired with his latest collab trainers or a pair of sharp loafers. 3. Shoppin’ with a purple Hermès Birkin View this post on Instagram A post shared by BagMasterpiece (@bagmasterpiece) Williams sent the internet into a frenzy when he was spotted about town with this giant Hermès Birkin. Not only was it one of the rare occasions that fashion followers had spotted a man with the highly coveted bag ( rather than a Kardashian or Victoria Beckham), but it was also a custom Haut à Courroies version in purple crocodile skin – making it one of the rarest in existence. He later held the same bag aloft on the cover of Paper magazine’s summer 2008 edition. 7 times Beyoncé rocked corsets like a queen, from Gucci to D&G 4. Rocking N.E.R.D Jacob & Co diamonds at the AMAs When it comes to street style, Williams reigns supreme with his frequent sartorial nods to hip-hop culture. And these three oversized Jacob & Co diamond chains took things to another level when he appeared with them around his neck at the American Music Awards in 2005. Williams personally oversaw their creation alongside the man better known as Jacob the Jeweller. One 14k medallion – which features Williams and his two N.E.R.D bandmates rendered in 3D – features light pink, fancy yellow and colour-enhanced blue diamonds, according to Williams’ digital auction website Joopiter. 5. His Bape sweatshirt collection Williams is the undisputed king of the designer hoodie, and there’s no brand he loved better back in the day than Bape. The brand started by his friend and frequent collaborator (and now Kenzo head ) Nigo embodied Japanese skater cool in the early 2000s, and this colourful camo version he wore for MTV’s TRL in 2005 is one of the most memorable in his collection. 6. The reflective Grammys suit Those present at the Grammys in 2015 might have been confused when scrolling through photos the morning after to find that the grey suit and matching bow tie Williams wore that night was in fact white. Or was it? Turns out the trendsetter’s Adidas suit was made from a special grey fabric created by 3M that illuminated with a flash – creating an all-white look when photographed by the paparazzi. Smart. Janet Jackson’s fashion evolution from sexy siren to style icon 7. Throwing Tiffany & Co. shade Leave aside the fact that Williams and his wife exemplified cool couple goals in their matching Ernest W. Baker tracksuits at this year’s Grammys , it was Williams’ typically OTT sunglasses that made the biggest visual impact. Ever the best advert for his own designs, he told WWD that the glasses were his “first of many” collaborations with Tiffany & Co. According to the Israeli Diamond Industry Portal website, the 25-carat shades boast a total of 61 diamonds and two green emeralds, bedded in 18k gold frames. Want more stories like this? Follow STYLE on Facebook , Instagram , YouTube and Twitter .