GQ Magazine
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There is no doubting Pharrell Williams had a historic fashion run in 2024. So it is only fitting that GQ Magazine has named him Designer of the Year.
This week, the gentleman’s magazine started to unveil their annual Men of the Year selections. In it, the editorial staff have crowned Skateboard P as the style industry’s number one creative. Shot by Eli Russell Linnetz, GQ captures the “Happy” performer in his top eclectic luxury form. As expected, Pharrell Williams effortlessly pairs items from different Louis Vuitton collections with various vintage pieces resulting in a photoshoot that produces all the feels, ranging from western to military to runaway ready.
Even more note worthy is his interview. Full of “Pharrellisms,” GQ’s Global Editorial Director Will Welch got him to discuss a bevy of topics related to his creative process. During the Q&A, Welch revealed that the Grammy Award winner was working on three different music projects simultaneously with a dedicated engineer to each.
“I had three different rooms for three different artists. That’s the way I like to cook,” Pharrell said. “I like to go from room to room, because one room reminds me that the other room isn’t as hot as I thought it was before I left. Having different rooms going makes you zoom out. Because you zoom in to make it, but then you zoom out to judge whether it’s fire.”
Later on he was asked about his Joopiter platform where he auctioned off many of his signature pieces. When asked if it struck him that Drake purchased his jewelry and then bragged about he simply responded “It didn’t.” When pressed further about Drizzy buying the pricy charms he made it clear he didn’t give it much thought. “I guess some things are not for me to understand. When you let things go, a huge part of it is actually letting go” he explained. “Not just of the physical item, but letting go of your connection to what it’s supposed to mean, or the memory. You’re literally letting them go. That was the purpose.”
You can see Pharrell Williams answer questions from his fans below.
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Source: Bryce Anderson / GQ / Bryce Anderson / GQ
In a new interview, Beyoncé addresses her pivot away from making music videos for her recent album releases, referring to them being “a distraction” at times.
After being an artist who has helped shape the idea of music videos with her past releases, fans questioned why Beyoncé didn’t release videos for her last two albums, Renaissance and Cowboy Carter. In a cover story interview with GQ, she laid out the reasons why it was time for her to move away from having visuals as part of her music projects going forward. “I thought it was important that during a time where all we see is visuals, that the world can focus on the voice,” the singer shared. “The music is so rich in history and instrumentation. It takes months to digest, research, and understand.”
“The music needed space to breathe on its own,” Beyoncé continued. “Sometimes a visual can be a distraction from the quality of the voice and the music. The years of hard work and detail put into an album that takes over four years! The music is enough. The fans from all over the world became the visual. We all got the visual on tour. We then got more visuals from my film.” The superstar did leave a little bit of potential room for a change of mind, revealing that among other creative activities that she enjoys, “I also edit for fun.”
Fans have clamored for videos from Beyoncé for her last two hit albums, imagining they would be on the level of those visuals she delivered for her 2016 album Lemonade and Black is King, her 2020 collaborative film with Disney and Blitz Bazawule reimagining the lessons from The Lion King for young Black girls and boys. The multiple Grammy Award winner also spoke about her love for other female artists out now including Raye, Victoria Monét, and Chloe x Halle as well as expressing her love for the classics from Motown legends Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder.
Source: Bryce Anderson / GQ / Bryce Anderson / GQ
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DJ Khaled clearly lives a life. In a recent interview he reveals what he needs with him at all times during a trip.
As he prepares for the release of his fourteenth album DJ Khaled is even more busy than usual. During some of his most recent maneuvers he spoke to GQ Magazine and gave the world an inside look on his travel essentials. And as expected his pieces and more so his explanations did not disappoint. When asked what he packs first he made clear that hygiene is always top of mind regardless where he is going. “I mean, you got to have the gold toothbrush. Got to have that. Personally, I love Dove deodorant” he said. “Also, I got to throw some cigars in there because I might hit the golf course. Need some lighters in there because I got to light the cigars, so we’ll need the Djeep lighters, for sure. I love to flick lighters when I make music, when I hear something hot.”
The music mogul also is very specific when it comes to his white t-shirts. “Now the white T’s—very important. There’s two different types of white T’s. One is the new fresh one, just in case you need to throw something on, you can never go wrong” he added. “But then you have the white T’s that you wash every single day. I would hope you wash your clothes every day. My white T’s, I like to wear the washed ones when I go to bed. I love those. It’s just a different feeling, and I sleep so much better.”
But surprisingly his tour rider is very straightforward. “You know we got the Diptyque candles. The Beats Pill. Djeep lighter. Gum. Fresh towels. Hand sanitizer. I ain’t gonna lie to you, we got a little chocolate. Just in case I get in that zone, I need something chocolate, some Hershey’s. But then we also got granola, the healthy pack,” he said.
You can watch the official trailer for DJ Khaled’s forthcoming album Til Next Time below.
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Source: Pitchfork / Pitchforl
The vaunted music publication Pitchfork will be merged into GQ, and the shocking announcement came with a wave of layoffs.
On Wednesday (Jan. 17), an internal memo from Anna Wintour, the chief content officer of Condé Nast, announced that Pitchfork would be merged with the men’s magazine GQ. “Today we are evolving our Pitchfork team structure by bringing the team into the GQ organization. This decision was made after a careful evaluation of Pitchfork’s performance and what we believe is the best path forward for the brand so that our coverage of music can continue to thrive within the company,” the memo began.
“Both Pitchfork and GQ have unique and valuable ways that they approach music journalism, and we are excited for the new possibilities together,” the memo by Wintour continued before adding that there would be layoffs. “Some of our Pitchfork colleagues will be leaving the company today,” she said.
Wintour would go on to thank Puja Patel, the editor-in-chief of Pitchfork who would wind up being one of those employees laid off. “For her leadership of the title over the last five years. She has been a wonderful colleague and advocate for the brand, and I’m grateful for her and the team’s many contributions.”
Under Patel’s stewardship, the publication moved from being a masthead that handed out minute praise to artists since its inception in 1996 to becoming more diverse in its base of contributing writers. It was also attached to music festivals in Mexico City and London. In that time, it has faced heavy criticism for its past music reviews, prompting it to “do-over” certain reviews.
Condé Nast announced in November 2023 that it would be laying off 5% of its present workforce, amounting to 270 employees. The publishing brand acquired Pitchfork in 2015. Many music journalists mourned the news along with those at Pitchfork who were laid off, including features editor Jill Mapes. “After nearly 8 yrs, mass layoffs got me. glad we could spend that time trying to make it a less dude-ish place just for GQ to end up at the helm,” Maples wrote on X.
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Source: Billionaire Boys Club and Moncler / Billionaire Boys Club and Moncler
When Pusha T speaks the culture listens. He recently conducted an interview and spoke on Pharrell Williams, The Clipse and more.
Source: Billionaire Boys Club and Moncler / Billionaire Boys Club and Moncler
Pusha T and his brother No Malice are the faces of the new Billionaire Boys Club x Moncler campaign. Moncler’s expertise in luxury innovation meets Billionaire Boys Club’s bold iconography in a capsule collection celebrating the 20th anniversary of Billionaire Boys Club. GQ Magazine caught up with King Push to speak on the drop and more. When asked what were his favorite pieces he revealed his top picks. “There were some knit sweaters, like cut-and-sew sweaters. The actual jacket itself, the puffer with the astronaut emblem on it, is super hard too” he said.
He also discussed a variety of topics including his long time collaborator Pharrell Williams. He made sure to remind the world that Skateboard P will forever be your favorite influencer’s favorite influencer. “He’s always been this guy who was forward-thinking. I mean, he actually was with Louis Vuitton back then” he rationalized. “He had us going crazy over the Millionaires [the sunglasses Pharrell and Nigo released with then Louis Vuitton designer Marc Jacobs in 2004], and so on and so forth.
The “Mercy” rapper also made it clear he is very selective when it comes to Rap beef. “When you look at who’s the talker and you look at what they’ve done and who they are and what they offer to you, it’s funny” he explained. “I’ve been in this game for a minute, and I’ve watched the game, and I’ve watched people at their highs and at their lows. And, mind you, most people are chasing things I’ve never chased in Hip-Hop.”
He also revealed that The Clipse are back in the studio. “I wouldn’t say consistently, but we definitely have been messing around with a few ideas. I’ve been working on a couple different projects at one time, in between touring, and he’s definitely been around and been there to be a part of it. So I think he has been finding the fun in it as well. I don’t be pressing it, but it is always fun to watch him have that fun again.”
The BBC x Moncler collection can be shopped here.
Photo: Billionaire Boys Club and Moncler
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