N.E.R.D comeback rumors fueled with new fashion collaboration

Rumblings of N.E.R.D’s impending album release will intensify with news that the experimental rock band — which includes Pharrell Williams, Shae Haley and Chad Hugo — is to release a new fashion collaboration.

The trio — largely dormant for the last decade — has collaborated with Illesteva on limited-edition sunglasses. They have designed oversize frames in four colorways. Each pair of glasses is embedded with a USB drive that houses exclusive short films directed by Christian Padron.

The glasses will launch at ComplexCon on Nov. 4, where the trio is scheduled to give their first live performance in three years.

N.E.R.D, founded in 1999, last released an album in 2010. Williams has since gone on to achieve a successful mainstream solo career — releasing the inescapable schoolyard song, “Happy,” in 2013 as part of the film soundtrack for “Despicable Me 2.” He has also concentrated on fashion, teaming with Chanel and G-Star Raw on assorted projects.

N.E.R.D’s Illesteva collaboration and ComplexCon performance no doubt add to evidence that the group is readying a musical return. Williams has repeatedly confirmed that the group is preparing a new album, though he’s declined to reveal a release date.

New N.E.R.D-centric marketing materials were plastered at Tyler the Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw music festival this past weekend in Los Angeles, sending music blogs into a state of frenzy.

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