Chanel enlists Kendrick Lamar for a new eyewear campaign launching April 22, 2025, spotlighting under‑$500 frames that merge luxury with street cred.
Kendrick Lamar has officially joined the inner circle of French haute couture as Chanel’s newest brand ambassador, fronting an eyewear campaign set to launch on April 22, 2025.
A first-of-its-kind collaboration between the Maison and a Pulitzer Prize–winning rapper. Shot by Karim Sadli, the campaign presents a roster of star‑studded faces—Margaret Qualley, Lily‑Rose Depp and Nana Komatsu alongside Lamar—each donning frames from Chanel’s latest eyewear collection, with prices starting under $500 and produced in partnership with Luxottica.
This move cements Lamar’s ongoing romance with the house, which began at the 2023 Met Gala and deepened with his creative contributions to Chanel’s Spring-Summer 2024 haute couture show, including co‑directing the short film “The Button” and designing an illuminated runway medallion.
Chanel’s decision to bring Kendrick Lamar on as ambassador represents a deliberate pivot toward cultural cross‑pollination, pairing the house’s legacy of refinement with Lamar’s boundary‑smashing artistry. At 37, the Compton‑born rapper—who made history as the first and only hip‑hop artist to win the Pulitzer Prize—will debut in the brand’s eyewear division, a segment that has historically offered a more democratic price point compared to Chanel’s six‑figure handbags.
Eyewear has become one of Chanel’s fastest‑growing accessories categories, available both online and through Luxottica‑backed retailers like Sunglass Hut, underscoring the strategic importance of this partnership.
Lamar’s affinity for Chanel first surfaced at the 2023 Met Gala, where he paid homage to Karl Lagerfeld in a custom quilted leather bomber crafted by Virginie Viard.
His involvement deepened in January 2024 when he and collaborator Dave Free were invited to architect the set for Chanel’s haute couture show, incorporating an illuminated Chanel medallion and co‑directing “The Button,” a moody short film starring Margaret Qualley, Naomi Campbell and Anna Mouglalis.
In discussing that project, Lamar reflected on his time at the Chanel ateliers: “Seeing the people who work hard and bring these visions to life resonates with me,” a sentiment that underscores his genuine connection to the brand’s heritage.
Captured by Karim Sadli, the forthcoming eyewear campaign channels a cinematic sensibility—sleek, sculptural and imbued with the effortless cool of its subjects.
Lamar appears in classic silhouettes alongside a global cast: American actress Margaret Qualley, whose previous collaborations with Chanel include starring in “The Button,” Japan’s darling Nana Komatsu and Lily‑Rose Depp, each framed against minimal backdrops that let the pieces speak for themselves.
By spotlighting eyewear—a category priced under $500—Chanel is extending an accessible touchpoint for new audiences while keeping intact the house’s aura of exclusivity.
Bruno Pavlovsky, President of Chanel Fashion, encapsulated the ethos behind the move: “More than a simple fashion accessory, eyewear is part of the Chanel allure and is regularly seen on the runway”.
For Lamar—who has parlayed his six‑Grammy‑winning albums and Pulitzer Prize into a creative enterprise PGlang—the appointment aligns with his vision of art as a bridge between diverse worlds. The partnership also arrives at a critical juncture: as inflation and economic headwinds temper luxury spending, accessories like eyewear offer both aspirational value and attainable entry points into the Chanel universe.
While Chanel’s menswear repertoire remains limited, Lamar’s ambassadorial role hints at future explorations. Fragrance, ready‑to‑wear collaborations or even co‑created couture pieces could follow.
As Lamar continues to redefine the intersections of music, film and fashion, his alliance with Chanel feels less like a brand endorsement and more like the convergence of two cultural powerhouses—each rewriting the rules of its domain. In the end, this collaboration reminds us that true style is not just about what you wear, but the stories you help tell—one pair of frames at a time.
source Business Of Fashion
