Virgil Abloh, artistic director for Louis Vuitton and Off-White founder died of cancer at the age of 41
Virgil Abloh, a renowned menswear designer at Louis Vuitton and founder and CEO of Off-White was killed on Sunday from cancer According to a post on his official Instagram account. The designer was aged 41.
"We are deeply saddened to announce the loss of our dear Virgil Abloh, a fiercely loved father wife, husband, son, and brother. He was a dear best friend. The family of Virgil Abloh includes his devoted partner Shannon Abloh, his children Lowe Abloh and Grey Abloh, and the sister Edwina Abloh and their parents Nee as well Eunice Abloh, and a myriad of beloved friends and colleagues," the article read.
"For more than two years, Virgil bravely fought an extremely rare and aggressive type of cancer called cardiac angiosarcoma. He chose to face the battle in private following his diagnosis in the year 2019. He endured a myriad of difficult treatments while also running various important institutions that span art, fashion as well as culture."
Abloh was a multi-hyphenate. He was first and foremost, a fashion stylist who, prior to becoming Louis Vuitton's very first Black artistic director established the famous streetwear brand Off-White.
At Louis Vuitton, He attracted a younger audience by introducing menswear collections that blurred the distinction between streetwear and high fashion and also pushed boundaries in the arts, and challenged gender standards. A sparkling "embroidered bib" that he created, for instance, was a conversation piece as it was worn by actor Timothee Chalamet the Golden Globes in 2019. The other versions were worn by Michael B. Jordan and Chadwick Boseman.
Abloh was a multi-hyphenate -first and foremost, a fashion stylist who, before becoming Louis Vuitton's very first Black creative director established the famous streetwear brand Off-White.
At Louis Vuitton, He introduced a new generation of customers and created collections for men that blurred the distinction between streetwear and high fashion as well as challenged boundaries in the arts and challenged gender standards. A striking "embroidered bib" designed by him as an example, was an instant talk-show item as it was worn by actor Timothee Chalamet at the Golden Globes in 2019. Others were worn by Michael B. Jordan and Chadwick Boseman.
He was also a major player on the musical scene and, as a popular DJ, he performed at various music venues across the globe. As a long-standing partner with Kanye West, now referred to as Ye was the creative director of the design firm of the rapper, Donda, and also designed a few of Ye's album cover. As a designer and artist and furniture designer, he worked with companies like Mercedes Benz on an art concept car as well as IKEA on a sought-after collection targeted at those who are making their first moves.
Overnight, tributes pour in for the designer's passing who was among fashion's most influential Black men in a fashion industry that notoriously isn't diverse. Harlem designer Daniel Day, known as Dapper Dan, spoke to the issue on his Instagram post that wrote "Virgil's existence was a testimony to the extent Black Lives Matter through demonstrating what black lives can be capable of.
"His marches took him to the heights of the fashion world. Virgil began his career in the field as a soldier. He later became as a general."
British Vogue chief editor Edward Enninful called him "a giant among men" on Instagram and wrote that Abloh always tried "to let the doors open to fashion and art for the next generations so that they, unlike him will grow up in a world that was creative and with others to model their own."
Poetry writer Amanda Gorman, who wore an eye-catching dress designed by Abloh for her Vogue cover in May and wrote in her blog that she felt "privileged" that she had had the privilege of meeting Abloh and to wear "such an exquisite piece of clothing created in memory of your grandmother.
"I felt then that I was experiencing the privilege of wearing an artist whose work is transcendental both the past and the present."
The luxury company LVMH is the owner of Louis Vuitton and Louis Vuitton has posted a tweet about his death and in a statement, it quoted LVMH chair Bernard Arnault: "We are stunned by this devastating news. Virgil was not just an amazing designer, but also an entrepreneur, but he was also a person with beautiful eyes and amazing knowledge."
LVMH acquired an entire stake in Off-White in July of this year in an agreement that all parties were hoping would start the new chapter.
"I'm equally honored to utilize this collaboration to further strengthen my commitment to expanding opportunities for all people and to promote greater equality and inclusion within the sectors that we work in," Abloh said at the time. "This is a fantastic new platform that will enhance the impact we've had together to a completely higher level."
Abloh is one of the children of Ghanaian immigrants who were born in 1981 in Rockford, Illinois. He received a bachelor's diploma in civil engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and completed his master's degree in architecture at the Illinois Institute of Technology; the foundation of which will later be influential in his wider practice.
"My career path started with design in an older multidisciplinary sense in engineering and architecture prior to when that I (started at) style," he told CNN in an interview scheduled for 2020.
"I consider my work as metaphorical -the possibilities that exist across different fields of design and how you can create a new design language and be able to engage younger audiences through icons, employing various techniques and research."
Abloh was listed among Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in 2018. Additionally, the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago held an exhibit of his work as a "genre-bending designer and artist" in 2019.
In the days before his tragic death, He was in the process of putting together plans for a Louis Vuitton fashion event in Miami, Florida, to coincide with the launch of a brand new men's boutique located in Miami. A preview of his 2022 Spring-Summer collection will begin in the evening at 5.30pm ET on November 30, as per an update on the official account of Louis Vuitton on Twitter.