Remembering Virgil Abloh – the genius fashion designer, DJ, Off-White founder, Louis Vuitton menswear artistic director and Kanye West collaborator who died of cancer aged 41

Nov 29 , 2021

LVMH announced the death of pioneering fashion designer Virgil Abloh, founder of the Off-White label and Louis Vuitton menswear creative director, on November 28 following a long, private cancer battle. Photo: EPA-EFE

LVMH announced the death of pioneering fashion designer Virgil Abloh, founder of the Off-White label, on November 28 following a long, private battle with cancer

As the first black creative director at Louis Vuitton, Abloh brought hip-hop and skate culture to high luxury – while highlighting intellectualism in streetwear

On Sunday, November 28, it was announced that Virgil Abloh, the founder of fashion label Off-White and artistic director of Louis Vuitton menswear, had died at age 41. A statement posted to Abloh’s Instagram account revealed that he had been undergoing treatment for cancer.

“For over two years, Virgil valiantly battled a rare, aggressive form of cancer, cardiac angiosarcoma,” the statement read. “He chose to endure his battle privately since his diagnosis in 2019, undergoing numerous challenging treatments, all while helming several significant institutions that span fashion, art and culture.”

Virgil Abloh was credited with bringing an intellectualism to streetwear, as seen here in Off-White’s men’s autumn/winter 2019-2020 collection. Photo: AFP

Indeed, Abloh was famous for juggling numerous pursuits simultaneously. In 2018, he was appointed creative director of Louis Vuitton menswear and in July this year, he was offered a parallel position working across parent company LVMH’s portfolio of 75 brands, which includes Dom Perignon, Rimowa, Hublot, Bvlgari, Berluti and Givenchy. This made Abloh one of the most powerful figures in the most powerful luxury group in the world.

Streetwear designer Virgil Abloh’s appointment at Louis Vuitton was seen as a pioneering moment in high fashion. Photo: EPA-EFE

Throughout his employment with Vuitton, Abloh continued to design for his own label, Off-White, which was established in 2012, and engaged in numerous design collaborations with brands including Nike, Ikea, Levi’s, Moncler, Jimmy Choo, Evian, Champion and Timberland. He also DJed prolifically and designed album covers for hip-hop artists including Lil Uzi Vert, A$AP Rocky, Pop Smoke, 2-Chainz, Pusha T, Jay-Z and Kanye West.

Virgil Abloh was a hip-hop head, DJ and close associate of Kanye West. Photo: Handout

Abloh was closely associated with fellow Chicagoan West. The two met not long after Abloh graduated with a master’s degree in architecture from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 2006. Subsequently, West and Abloh took an internship together at Fendi in 2010 and continued collaborating extensively afterwards, with West saying Abloh enabled him to realise his dreams, calling him a strategist. “Virgil is able to take my ideas and architect them, because he is an architect,” West once said.