The legendary singer’s collaboration with Pharrell Williams and Quavo provided the grand finale for Louis Vuitton’s latest runway presentation in Paris.
Fashion and music collided in spectacular fashion in Paris as Angélique Kidjo’s “Bando,” featuring Pharrell Williams and Quavo, closed Louis Vuitton’s Spring-Summer 2027 Men’s Show at the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris.
Presented by Pharrell Williams, Louis Vuitton’s Men’s Creative Director, the show featured an immersive soundtrack that blended orchestral arrangements, choir performances, hip-hop, and global musical influences. The evening’s final moment belonged to “Bando,” a standout track from Kidjo’s recently released album HOPE!!, performed alongside the Virginia-based choir Voices of Fire and L’Orchestre du Pont Neuf, led by acclaimed conductor Thomas Roussel.
The runway finale marks another high-profile collaboration between Kidjo and Pharrell Williams. Pharrell produced three tracks on HOPE!!, including “Bando,” further strengthening a creative relationship that has extended beyond the recording studio. Earlier this year, Kidjo also wore a custom Louis Vuitton look designed by Pharrell for the GRAMMY Awards.
HOPE!! follows Kidjo’s GRAMMY-winning 2021 album Mother Nature and features an impressive roster of collaborators including Pharrell Williams, Quavo, Davido, Ayra Starr, Nile Rodgers, Charlie Wilson, IZA, and PJ Morton.
The Louis Vuitton moment arrives during a milestone year for the internationally celebrated artist. This summer, Kidjo is set to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, becoming the first Black African artist to receive the honor.
Widely recognized as one of the most influential voices in global music, Kidjo is a five-time GRAMMY Award winner and sixteen-time nominee. Her impact extends far beyond music: she has been named to TIME’s 100 Most Influential People, received the prestigious Polar Music Prize, performed at the reopening ceremony of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, and has been recognized by both Forbes and The Guardian for her influence and inspiration on the world stage.
Why We're Watching
Louis Vuitton’s Spring-Summer 2027 presentation served as another example of fashion’s growing embrace of cross-cultural storytelling through music. With Pharrell Williams continuing to blur the lines between runway, performance, and global sound, Kidjo’s commanding presence and powerful collaboration on “Bando” provided a fitting finale – one that underscored her enduring influence across music, fashion, and culture.
Watch: Louis Vuitton Spring-Summer 2027 Men’s Show featuring Angélique Kidjo’s “Bando” below.
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