Oh my liege! There are multi-hyphenates, and then there’s Pharrell Williams. A groundbreaking, award-winning artist and producer, skateboard star, skincare founder, and fashion designer — and now, officially, a “sir.”
Just days after presenting a star-studded Fall/Winter 2026 menswear show for Louis Vuitton, the 52-year-old music and fashion icon was honored with French knighthood during a private ceremony on Jan. 23 at the Élysée Palace. French President Emmanuel Macron presented him with the Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur (“Knight of the Legion of Honor”) for his contributions to culture and the creative industries.
“Chevalier of the Légion d’honneur. Grateful and blessed,” the Virginia native wrote in the caption of an Instagram post featuring a carousel of snaps from the ceremony.
The photos included one of him shaking hands with Macron, another of him standing before an intimate crowd that included his wife, Helen Lasichanh, and their four children, and a shot of him celebrating the moment with friend and collaborator Pusha T. France’s First Lady Brigitte Macron also posed alongside Williams, his wife, and their children in a shot.
Future, who appeared alongside Williams in at least one photo, and Quavo, who posed in an ornate room inside the French president’s residence beneath decadent chandeliers, were also part of the celebration.
Of course, he looked fly for the occasion. The artist, who received a red ribbon medal as part of the honor, wore a navy blue flared suit with a crisp white collared shirt and brown tortoiseshell shades.
The honor is France’s highest and most prestigious civil or military distinction. Established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, it recognizes outstanding service to the French nation, exceptional bravery, or significant contributions to humanity and culture.
It’s also not the first major recognition the 13-time Grammy winner has received from the nation since becoming Louis Vuitton’s creative director of menswear in 2023. That same year, he received the insignia of Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters from France’s culture minister for his contributions to the arts.
