PARIS, Jan 17 — Pharrell Williams kicked off Paris Fashion Week with Louis Vuitton’s spring menswear show last night, lining the catwalk with sharp, elaborately embellished American West outfits.

Native American drumming signaled the start of the show, with models strutting in silver tipped cowboy boots and denim chaps, wide-brimmed cowboy hats, and silky western shirts with pointy collars. Turquoise studs decorated suits and Louis Vuitton logos glittered on sequined jackets.

"The Louis Vuitton dandy evolves through the American western tradition of dressing up,” the show notes said, listing details of handbags designed with artists of the Dakota and Lakota nations, and shoes made with the Timberland label.

The show was the designer’s third since he took on creative direction for the label’s menswear line last year. The LVMH-owned label, the world’s biggest fashion brand, has opened about 50 temporary stores worldwide to showcase the new merchandise.

Williams’ blockbuster debut took place on the Pont Neuf in Paris last June, in a street party with performances by Williams and Jay-Z. He took to Hong Kong in November for his second runway show, with sailor suits and Hawaiian prints, along a waterfront promenade overlooking the city’s skyline after dark.

LVMH will release annual financial results on January 25, revealing details of the industry bellwether’s performance over the key holiday season. Demand for luxury apparel has softened in recent months as shoppers reined back on high-end purchases with the rising cost of living. — Reuters