Over the course of the past year, rituals have become essential elements of the everyday—a tool for moving through uncertain times. The idea to create products that are necessary, useful, and beautiful to help guide your daily practice is what inspired Pharrell Williams to launch his global product company, Humanrace, beginning with a three-step, three-minute skincare routine to improve your wellbeing.
The scope of Pharrell’s career is as all-encompassing as it gets. Over the last 20 years his work has made him a contemporary visionary in music, art, design, and fashion: he is a collaborator with brands like Chanel and adidas, as well as artists such as KAWS, Takashi Murakami, and Nigo, making cameos in films both in front of and behind the camera, as well as on their soundtracks. He is the recipient of 13 Grammy awards and has been on the cover of almost every major fashion and lifestyle publication, including the Fall-Winter 2021 issue of SSENSE magazine. His personal style extends over everything he surveils.
This Fall, SSENSE and Humanrace have partnered on a site-specific exhibition, designed to be a physical expression of the Humanrace ethos: In order to care for others, you need to care for yourself—through product, routine, and being comfortable in your skin. The narrative unfolds through a distinct set of experiences inspired by concepts that are central to the brand. An introduction to the ever-growing community of Humanrace Wellbeings, a specially commissioned sculpture conceptualized and collaborated on by Humanrace creative director Edward Robinson with Scheltens & Abbenes, exclusive access to Pharrell’s archive of treasures as curated by close friend Tyler, The Creator, and an exploration of the skincare products accompanied by Pharrell’s Dermatologist, Dr. Elena Jones, MD. Together, each component—along with a carefully crafted assortment of product extensions—emphasizes the importance of community, wellness, culture, sustainability, and design. SSENSE welcomes you to House of Humanrace, presented by Pharrell Williams.
For the 2020 Humanrace skincare launch campaign, Dutch duo Scheltens & Abbenes took inspiration from the design of the bottles and reimagined them as a makeshift planetary system observed from a distance. The current SSENSE Montreal installation finds us getting closer to the product, zooming in on its particles. Getting closer to the skin.
The installation’s monumental photographs delve into Humanrace’s three-step routine, using creative double-takes to reveal the interior and exterior of the products at once. These images are accompanied by a centerpiece evoking an architectural maquette, in which the Humanrace bottles appear to be dropped from on high. The bottles venture through a recurring cycle, from a domestic bathroom setting into otherworldly outdoor landscapes. This dreamlike chain of events is rendered in foam, further adding to the surreal atmosphere.
Panel Layout in Six Acts
Frame 1
Frame 2
Frame 3
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Frame 5
Frame 6
"A MAN OF MANY HATS, A MASTER OF ALL TRADES, AN ALIEN OF THIS PLANET. PHARRELL WILLIAMS."
Archive curated by
Tyler, The Creator
1
Vivienne Westwood Buffalo Hat, 2014
Worn by Pharrell Williams during his performance at the 2014 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.
2
Hermes Oversized Purple Crocodile Bag
Madonna - Give It 2 Me feat. Pharrell (Official Video) 83,304,874 views Jun 11, 2008
3
Takashi Murakami × Louis Vuitton White Monogram Multicolor Luggage, 2002
Pharrell Williams’s close relationship with both Takashi Murakami and Marc Jacobs influenced his personal collection of Louis Vuitton luggage.
4
Custom Made Bape Ostrich Bapestas Sneakers, Early 2000s
Exclusively made for Pharrell Williams.
5
BBC Ice Cream Reebok × Colette Boutique, Early 2000
First design of Ice Cream Boutiques, available at Colette exclusively.
6
BBC Ice Cream × Reebok Board Flip II, 2007
7
CHANEL × Pharrell NMD, 2017
CHANEL × Pharrell collaboration adidas NMD, exclusively available via raffle held on November 21, 2017 from CHANEL’s temporary pop-up shop at Colette in Paris.
8
Timberland Boots with Drawings Made by Pharrell Williams, 2008
9
Converse with Drawings Made by Pharrell Williams, 2008
Worn in Converse Campaign with N.E.R.D.
10
N.E.R.D Belt Buckle
18-Karat White Gold & Multi-colored Diamonds Custom-Made Belt Buckle.
11
Skateboard Chain
18-Karat Yellow Gold & Fancy Colored Diamond Skateboard Design Pendant with Jesus.
12
Takashi Murakami Flower Chain
18-Karat Yellow Gold, Multi-Colored Diamond & Ruby Custom-Made Floral Smiley Face Pendant by Jacob & Co.
13
Astronaut BBC Pendant
Custom-Made Black & White Diamond Three-Dimensional “Astronaut BBC” Pendant, Jacob & Co.
14
CHANEL Customized Necklace
18-Karat Yellow Gold, Jade Bead & Diamond Rosary Necklace.
15
CHANEL Gold Threaded Knitwear Sweater, 2018
Worn by Pharrell Williams in the CHANEL Paris-New York 2018/19 Métiers d’Art Show.
16
CHANEL Gold Coated Denim Pants, 2018
Worn by Pharrell Williams in the CHANEL Paris-New York 2018/19 Métiers d’Art Show.
17
adidas Originals Custom Atelier Leather Track Jacket, 2014
Worn by Pharrell Williams at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards where he received four Grammy awards. Currently, Pharrell holds 13 Grammys awards.
18
Comme des Garçons × Lewis Leathers Spring 2017 Jacket, 2017
Worn by Pharrell Williams to the 2017 Met Gala as cochair of the “Rei Kawakubo / Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between” exhibition.
19
Comme des Garçons Homme Plus Spring 2016 (Look 2) Shirt, 2017
Worn by Pharrell Williams to the 2017 Met Gala as cochair of the “Rei Kawakubo / Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between” exhibition.
20
Original Swarovski Billionaire Boys Club Logo T-Shirt, 2003
One of three t-shirts ever made. Made by Nigo exclusively for Pharrell Williams.
21
Billionaire Boys Club Running Dog Jeans, 2006
22
BBC Ice Cream Fitted Hat, 2007
23
adidas Originals Leather Track Jacket with Custom Embroidery, 2015
Worn by Pharrell on GQ Style Germany Summer 2015 magazine cover. Artwork by Pharrell Williams.
24
N.E.R.D Trucker Hat, 2001
Worn in N.E.R.D’s ”Rock Star” music video.
