His secret was: to buy several old and unsold Ralph Lauren clothes for forty dollars, have designs printed on them and sell them for more than $550. In 2012, Abloh managed to create his first company, Pyrex Vision, a small boutique selling high-end fashion. A year later, Kanye appointed Virgil as creative director for his ad agency DONDA, and two years later, he was asked to be artistic director of Watch the Throne, the duo’s collaborative album with Jay-Z. In the company’s office in Rome, they both began a collaborative relationship. See also Fans and family bid farewell to singer Marilia Mendonca (with pictures)Īfter graduation, he was an apprentice at Fendi, an Italian fashion house founded in 1925, on the same team as rapper Kanye West, a friend who propelled him to stardom. Serious,” he wrote on his Instagram account.įrom architecture to fashion The first great black innovator, committed to “affirming African American cultures,” he was the son of immigrants from Ghana, grew up in Chicago, USA, and before he hit fashion, he graduated in civil engineering and architecture. She joins the LVMH family in this moment of grief. Virgil was not only a genius and visionary, but also a man of beautiful spirit and great wisdom. LVMH Group President Bernard Arnault was also one of the first to publicly lament: “We are shocked by this news. Virgil was driven by his dedication to his craft and his mission to open doors for others and create pathways for greater equality in art and design.” “As he went through all this, his work ethic, endless curiosity, and optimism were unwavering.
“He has chosen to support his fight in private since his diagnosis in 2019, undergoing many challenging treatments, all while heading several important institutions covering fashion, art and culture,” the same text reads. In the message also posted on the account of the designer who has two children, Gray and Louie Abloh, with Shannon Abloh, with whom he has been in a relationship since 2009. The owner of the Off-White fashion brand also suffered from cardiovascular sarcoma, which was diagnosed in 2019: “We are saddened to announce the passing of our dear Virgil Abloh, father, husband, son, brother and loyal friend,” reads IF. The news of his death was provided by the LVMH Group, which owns Louis Vuitton, in an Instagram post. The revolutionary designer, the king of luxury street fashion, the LVMH “star” designer and the most prominent black figure in luxury fashion, died last Sunday at the age of 41, after suffering from a “rare and serious” cancer within two years. “Everything I do is for my 17-year-old version,” said Vigil Abloh, who deeply believed in the power of art to inspire future generations.