What you should know about the legacy of fashion designer Virgil Abloh
On November 28th, American fashion designer and entrepreneur Virgil Abloh died at the age of 41 due to cardiac angiosarcoma, a rare cancer. Abloh transformed not only consumer style, but also the meaning of “fashion” itself.
“Virgil Abloh was everything that fashion wasn’t at the time. He was a ‘founding father’ to the diverse and creative fashion that we see today,” said Chloe Peissner (‘22).
The Ghanaian-American designer has been in the fashion industry since 2009. Virgil Abloh made his first mark on the industry as the artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear collection. Abloh also ventured into entrepreneurship by creating his own fashion house, Off-White, in 2013. Since then, Off-White has boosted “street style” to the realm of high fashion.
“He made street-style like high-fashion but managed to keep it relatable for both people who were in the luxury fashion industry and people who wore street style on a daily basis. He brought two separate communities together through his work,” said Samaira Mehta (‘24).
After Louis Vuitton bought a majority stake in Off-White in 2020 and Abloh took a position at LVMH (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton), Virgil Abloh became the most powerful Black executive in the history of the premiere luxury group.
“For a long time, people who were running the fashion industry in high positions were white men and women, and typically there wasn’t a lot of diversity. I think when Virgil came to the fashion industry, he brought a lot of his creative ideas and broke a lot of boundaries,” said Peissner.
Abloh took what he called a “3 percent approach” to his designs. A new design could be created by changing an original by 3 percent. His fusion of streetwear and luxury made him one of the most celebrated tastemakers in the fashion industry.
“I love that he always pushed the limits of his creativity by saying something new or trying something different, or even working beyond just garments and fashion. I love that he wasn’t afraid to do anything,” said Mehta.
His journey in fashion hasn’t ended as after his death, his final show for the French luxury label went on per his family’s wishes and included a tribute to the expansive director. Virgil Abloh continues to be a symbol for high-fashion, luxury streetwear and creativity.
Your donation will support the student journalists in the AVJournalism program. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.
