“Virgil Abloh”
Streetwear. Hype Collabs. DJ. Black Excellence.
Virgil Abloh, the acclaimed menswear designer for Louis Vuitton and founder and CEO of Off-White, died Sunday of cancer, according to a post from his verified Instagram account. He was 41.
Abloh helped bring luxury to the streets. He understood hype and demand. His curiosity, his sense of taste and design, and his ability to turn the ordinary into the iconic, is part of his legacy.
He was first, and foremost a fashion designer, who before making history as Louis Vuitton's first Black artistic director, founded the cult streetwear label Off-White. (Which I’m a huge fan of despite my criticism that the quotation mark motifs were overused. But that doesn’t make them any less iconic.)
He was a role model to young Black designers and children everywhere. And as British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful said, Virgil is "a giant among men," writing that Abloh always worked "to open the door to art and fashion for future generations, so that that they—unlike himself, would grow up in a creative world with people to mirror themselves in."
So cheers to this pioneer, who after suffering in silence will go out as one of the most prolific faces in fashion. Because from Creative Director for Kanye West to DJ-ing at Art Basel to CEO and Artistic Director of one of the biggest luxury fashion houses in the world, Abloh was the embodiment of hustle culture. And his impact, influence and legacy will continue live on.
Rest in Peace
P.S - You can catch his last collection for Louis Vuitton, aptly titled “Virgil Was Here”, tomorrow (November 30th, 2021) at 5:30pm (EST) from Miami. Check out the promo below.
