Pharrell Williams has introduced the Louis Vuitton Combi, a low-top sneaker built around the familiar language of classic skate shoes. Early images show a slim profile, wrapped toe construction, simple lacing, and a striped vulcanized-style sole.
Those details have made the Vans Authentic comparison hard to miss. Vans saw it as well, responding “Ohhhh bet” beneath Pharrell’s post on the @skateboard Instagram account. The comment quickly became part of the story as the resemblance spread across social media.
Louis Vuitton pushes the shape in a different direction through its materials. Pharrell’s red pair uses a crocodile-textured upper with thick white laces, metal eyelets, and natural Vachetta leather accents near the toe and heel. Future also shared the same red colorway, along with a brown monogram version finished with multicolored details.
The Combi name makes the whole situation even more amusing. “Kombi” is widely tied to passenger-and-cargo vans, most famously the Volkswagen Type 2. Giving that name to a sneaker being compared to Vans feels almost too on the nose.
Additional colorways are likely, though only the red crocodile-style pair and brown monogram version have surfaced so far. Pharrell has regularly used wide palettes across his footwear projects, so these early looks may represent only part of the eventual range.
The Combi continues Louis Vuitton’s recent interest in skate-inspired sneakers under Pharrell’s creative direction. The brand introduced the similarly influenced Tilted model in 2025.
The Louis Vuitton Combi is expected to release in early 2027. Additional colorways and release details should surface following Louis Vuitton’s Spring 2027 menswear show in Paris.
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