The life of Virgil Abloh - Louis Vuitton's first black artistic director and founder of Off-White

The world of fashion came to a standstill on Sunday (November 28) with the news of leading designer Virgil Abloh's death due to cancer at the age of 41. A groundbreaking fashion designer, Abloh was known for infusing streetwear into mainstream couture that made him a celebrated name in fashion and beyond. Abloh was diagnosed with cardiac angiosarcoma in 2019, a rare form of cancer in which a tumour occurs in the heart. Abloh is survived by his wife Shannon Abloh and his children, Lowe and Grey.

The sad demise of Virgil Abloh was announced by luxury group Louis Vuitton and his own Off-White label, which he founded in 2013. Expressing shock of the news of Abloh's death, LVMH in a statement said that the genius designer was a visionary and also a man with a beautiful soul and great wisdom.

Also read: Virgil Abloh no more: Priyanka Chopra to Justin Timberlake, celebs worldwide offer condolences

In 2018, Virgil Abloh created history by becoming Louis Vuitton's first Black artistic director for their menswear collection. Often compared to Jeff Koons and Karl Lagerfeld, Abloh's consumer-friendly presence in culture was wide-ranging and dynamic.

A first generation Ghanaian American, Virgil Abloh had no formal fashion training. He had a degree in engineering and a master's in architecture. It is said that he learnt to sew from his mother. Having grown up in Rockford, Illinois, Abloh was often referred to as a Renaissance man in the world of fashion. He had a successful sting as a DJ before hitting headlines as one of fashion's most heralded designers.

In 2009, Abloh worked alongside Kanye West, now called Ye, at a screen-printing store before the duo interned at LVMH brand Fendi. He was also the art director for Ye-Jay-Z's 2011 album 'Watch the Throne' tha was nomiated for a Grammy. Abloh also partnered his Off-White label with Nike to introduce a line of sneakers that mixed a variety of styles and Helvetica fonts. Not just Nike, but Abloh collaborated with IKEA, Evian and even McDonald's to design furniture, refillable bottles and Big Mac cartons respectively. 

Named as one of Time magazine's most influential people in 2018, Abloh called himself 'a maker'. From Beyonce to Michael B. Jordan and Kim Kardashian West to Serena Williams, Abloh's designer collection was worn by several A-listers. His appointment at Louis Vuitton was the highlight of his career, which saw him become the most powerful Black executives in the fashion world.