Virgil Abloh, the most prominent Black designer in fashion and the creative force behind Louis Vuitton’s menswear designs, died of cancer on November 28, after a two-year battle with cardiac angiosarcoma. He was 41.
His verified Instagram account confirmed his death on a post that read:
“We are devastated to announce the passing of our beloved Virgil Abloh, a fiercely devoted father, husband, son, brother, and friend. He is survived by his loving wife Shannon Abloh, his children Lowe Abloh and Grey Abloh, his sister Edwina Abloh, his parents Nee and Eunice Abloh, and numerous dear friends and colleagues.”
Virgil Abloh “Post-modern”
Virgil Abloh, born in 1980 in Rockford, Illinois, is an artist, architect, engineer, designer, musician, DJ, and artistic director. Throughout his career, he has emphasized inclusivity and generosity. He was born to Ghanaian immigrant parents. His seamstress mother taught him how to sew.
Abloh interned at Fendi in 2009 with rapper Kanye West after graduating from college. They began working together in the company’s Rome, Italy branch. Michael Burke, CEO of Louis Vuitton, saw Abloh’s work and left a mark on him.
It wasn’t until March 2018 that he was named artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear ready wear line. It made him the first person of African descent to lead the brand’s menswear line. Abloh was also one of the few black designers at the helm of a major French fashion house.
Abloh established the Virgil Abloh “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund in 2020. This project secured $1 million for the Fashion Scholarship Fund to help Black students. In the same year, he finished the East Garfield Park Boys & Girls Club renovations with Nike.
Abloh’s Final Collection
Guests gathered on a barge across from Marine Stadium in Miami on Tuesday evening for Louis Vuitton’s latest “spin-off” show, a kind of re-viewing of an already-unveiled collection — in this case, Spring 2022 menswear — in a new location with new looks (plus, more private clients in the audience).
This one, however, was sadly different from others the brand has held in the past: it turned out to be Virgil Abloh’s final runway.
Many of Abloh’s friends, collaborators, colleagues, and muses attended the event, which was titled “Virgil was here,” including Kanye West and Kim Kardashian West (with their eldest child, North), Pharrell Williams, A$AP Rocky, Jerry Lorenzo, Michèle Lamy, 21 Savage, and Edward Enninful, among many others.
Guests were greeted by a three-story statue of the late designer at the Stadium.
There hasn’t been any word as to how Louis Vuitton moves forward after Abloh’s death. But, what’s sure is his last collection will push through and be released to celebrate his life and contributions to the fashion industry.
