Artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear collection and CEO of Off White — Virgil Abloh passed away at the age of 41 on November 28th after battling cancer for several years. His untimely death left the entire fashion industry mourning. Bernard Arnault, CEO of LVMH, said “We are all shocked by this terrible news. Virgil was not only a genius designer and a visionary, he was also a man with a beautiful soul and great wisdom.” Virgil will be remembered for his unforgettable impact on the fashion industry and streetwear culture. Truly believing in the power of art to inspire future generations, he often said, “Everything I do is for the 17-year-old version of myself.” Here are his 5 best career moments:
First Black American Creative Director Of Louis Vuitton
In 2018, history was made when Virgil Abloh was appointed as the first-ever black artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s men’s wear. “We’re designers, so we can start a trend, we can highlight issues, we can make a lot of people focus on something or we can cause a lot of people to focus on ourselves,” Abloh said in an interview as he prepped for his debut show in 2018. “I’m not interested in (the latter). I’m interested in using my platform as one of a very small group of African-American males to design a house, to sort of show people in a poetic way.”
A True Visionary
“From a very young age, as a teenager, I was into hip-hop and skateboarding and all those things that were akin to a kid in the ’90s. All those things are what resulted in (my interest in) clothes.” Virgil shared in an interview. In 2012 the designer debuted his first brand ‘Pyrex Vision’— a 90s inspired streetwear label that was known for its screen-printed flannel shirts and memorable motifs. “You don’t have to be a designer to be a designer,” he told the guests at his Columbia University talk in 2017. “The culture is more important than the perfectionism of the idea,” he added.
Brought Streetwear To The Catwalk
In 2013, Virgil pulled the shutters down on Pyrex and founded Off-White. Describing the brand as “the grey area between black and white,” he created a label that blends streetwear with luxury fashion. Hovering quotation marks and diagonal stripes became the brand’s signature. From infusing athleisure in couture to designing Hailey Bieber’s wedding dress, Off-White stepped outside the lines of convention and became a celebrity and crowd favourite.
His Scholarship For Black Students
In 2020, Virgil raised $1 million to provide scholarships for black students through the Virgil Abloh™️ “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund in partnership with the Fashion Scholarship Fund (FSF). “I’ve always been passionate about giving the next generation of students the same foundation for success that was given to me.” he shared in a statement.
His Contribution In The World Of Art
Virgil’s creative vision made his body of work a subject of art at various museums. Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art showcased Virgil Abloh: Figures of Speech in 2019 – it focused on the highlights of his career. His friendship with Takashi Murakami is pop culture’s favourite cross-over. The duo has collaborated on a series of exhibitions where both their signature icons have been amalgamated together. Besides this, he even curated a number of exhibitions and made art because of his architectural background.
