A Closer Look at the Custom One-of-One LEGO Pharrell Piece
It’s safe to say LEGO isn’t just for kids anymore. Over the years, these little bricks have built more than just castles and cars—they’ve become an undeniable part of our culture, inspiring countless minds with colorful building blocks and endless possibilities.
And now, with the Piece by Piece film, LEGO is taking that influence to the big screen with Pharrell Williams at the center of it all. Pharrell has always been about pushing the boundaries of music, fashion, and art, and now he’s adding LEGO to that list.
It feels like the perfect match: one of the most creative minds of our time teaming up with one of the most iconic brands in history. This collaboration is a testament to Pharrell’s wide-reaching influence, and it’s a major moment for LEGO, too. After all, LEGO is more than just a toy—it’s a pop culture cornerstone, and with Piece by Piece, it’s making its mark on cinema in a way that’s bigger than ever before.
As LEGO continues to evolve, it’s incredible to see how the brand bridges the gap between nostalgia and modern-day cultural relevance. And Pharrell’s partnership is the ultimate proof that LEGO’s creativity knows no bounds.
We caught up with the team over at LEGO and the actual LEGO Pharrell model to get more info on the memorable piece.
How did Pharrell’s personality and style influence the design of the LEGO figure?
The team at Tongal/Pure Imagination did a fantastic job capturing the personality of Pharrell into a LEGO® minifigure, so our goal with designing the model was to be as true to their interpretation as possible!
How long did it take to go from initial concept to finished figure?
It took about 2 months to go from initial concept to finished figure.
How many iterations or prototypes did you go through before finalizing the design?
We had only a handful of iterations to get to the final design. We had such a great reference to work from and it made our job much easier! There are always trade-offs when designing large models with LEGO® bricks as sometimes nailing the details can be a bit tricky. For example, getting the intricate details of the bolo tie to feel and look right was especially challenging!
How does designing a custom one-of-one piece differ from working on mass-produced LEGO sets?
The entire process is different. The most stand-out difference is that our mass-produced LEGO® sets go through years of design and many iterations to ensure that the sets are as fun and easy to build as possible. We have a team of expert LEGO® model builders so we can design beautiful models without having to worry about how easy they are to build!
The Morgan Neville-directed Piece by Piece is now out in movie theaters.
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