Chanel, the premium fashion company, formally revealed Kendrick Lamar as its newest brand ambassador on April 21, 2025, after his declaration that he would be the face of its latest eyewear campaign, which is expected to air on April 22, 2025. By combining Lamar with a small group of male brand ambassadors—including Timothée Chalamet and G-Dragon—the company is demonstrating its evolving view of representation.
Kendrick Lamar becomes the newest ambassador of Chanel: more details
In their next campaign, Karim Sadli will photograph Kendrick Lamar as the face of Chanel's eyewear division. Though the fashion company has remained silent on the precise specifics, sunglasses and optical frames that mix Lamar's modern touch with its timeless design are probably in the future.
Kendrick Lamar said,
"Chanel has a timeless legacy and that is always something I can get behind. Since they don’t make clothes for men, I knew it would have to be glasses.”
Bruno Pavlovsky, the fashion president of Chanel, added,
“We strongly believe in eyewear and its potential. More than a simple fashion accessory, eyewear is part of the Chanel allure and is regularly seen on the runway. Its versatile style, playing with the house codes, brings a finishing touch to the silhouette. Through the ‘Chanel & moi’ program, we developed various services for this category, in order to offer a perfect fit and the best experience to our clients.”
While details are still under wraps, Lamar's creative team, pgLang, which he co-founded with Dave Free, is said to take the lead on upcoming joint projects. Lamar donned a one-of-a-kind quilted leather jacket created by then-creative director Virginie Viard for the 2023 Met Gala honoring Karl Lagerfeld, indicating the start of his collaboration with Chanel.
Chanel worked with Lamar and Dave Free on a short video titled "The Button" for their January 2024 haute couture presentation. The film, which imagined transmission and craftsmanship, included Lamar's first rock-influenced song.
High-end businesses are working more and more with well-known artists like Kendrick Lamar in an attempt to draw a more varied audience. Lamar's cultural cachet extends beyond fashion; he is the first rapper to ever win a Pulitzer Prize.
The increasing relevance of eyeglasses in high-end retail, where companies like Chanel & Moi use customisation and experience offerings to boost accessory sales and consumer loyalty, reflects Chanel's market emphasis. By integrating its eyewear operation with Lamar's artistic vision, the brand demonstrates its commitment to invention while being faithful to its history.
The new Kendrick Lamar x Chanel collaboration reflects the blending of creative ideas with high-end craftsmanship rather than being just a commercial relationship. A campaign scheduled to launch on April 22 and the prospect of further collaborations via pgLang underline the evolving dynamics of fashion marketing in 2025.
If Lamar continues to make ripples in the music business and society at large, his tenure at Chanel will be closely watched as a gauge of how historical brands can relate to contemporary artists and followers.