On January 20th, Louis Vuitton presented the fall/winter 2022 menswear collection in Paris. This show was dedicated to the revolutionary and pathbreaking designs of Virgil Abloh. Abloh was a visionary designer who died last November from complications due to cancer. The short film introducing the show celebrated Abloh’s designing career and the ways it inspired others. The show notes referred to “imagination” as the fuel for his creative genius. The show highlighted Abloh’s creative artistry from washed out monogram denim to floral -printed matching sets to varsity jackets and jerseys.
Black creative geniuses are staples in the entertainment, artistic and fashion world. Abloh was an American fashion designer and a renowned entrepreneur. He was the artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear collection since 2018. He was also the founder and CEO of Off-White, a Milan-based fashion house founded in 2013. Through Off-White, he revolutionized streetwear fashion across the globe.
Abloh also made inroads in the music world. He was a p DJ and often played at venues around the world. Moreover, he excelled in the area of furniture designing and collaborated with top-class brands, such as IKEA and Mercedes Benz.
Abloh was named as the “Top 100 Most Influential People in The World” by Times magazine. According to The Wall Street Journal, he reached a level of global fame unusual for a designer — an inspirational figure, said the BBC. In an effort to increase the number of Black people in the field fashion and art industries, he raised one million dollars and established the “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund.
For Abloh, clothes were more than ordinary pieces of clothing. He considered them as fungible totems of identity. In a deeply moving Instagram post, his wife noted “Virgil deeply believed “in the power of art to inspire future generations,” He used his designs to spread cultural and societal awareness despite them being seen as “controversial.” Abloh saw himself as a “maker” rather than confine himself to the label of designer, DJ, or furniture artist. His talent in multiple fields truly made him multitalented.
The announcement of Abloh’s death led to a number of tributes from the fashion and art industry. It also highlighted his battle with cancer: "For over two years, Virgil valiantly battled a rare, aggressive form of cancer, cardiac angiosarcoma. He chose to endure his battle privately since being diagnosed s in 2019, undergoing numerous treatments, all while helming several significant institutions that span fashion, art, and culture."
Celebrities, like Kanye West, Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, and Drake sent in special tributes. They also attended his memorial service h in his hometown, Chicago at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Virgil Abloh led an extraordinary life. His work showed the world what one could accomplish by transcending the boundaries of art and design. He left a legacy in the fashion industry that will inspire future generations. His work set the gold standard in the industry.