Virgil Abloh: designer, artist, maker

Superstar designer Virgil Abloh was born to Ghanian parents in Illinois in 1980. He spent his early years immersed in skate and hip hop culture, but taught the basics of sewing from his seamstress mother. Though he studied civil engineering and earned a Masters degree in architecture, it didn’t take long for Abloh to begin carving his fresh new path in the somewhat stagnant fashion industry.

From unassuming beginnings, the trailblazing designer went on to revolutionise the way the fashion industry viewed, and took inspiration from, contemporary culture. In 2009, he began an internship with Fendi alongside Kanye West. It was this artistic collaboration between musician and designer that led Virgil Abloh to launch his own brand Off-White (originally known as PYREX VISION).

Virgil Abloh’s start in international fashion was at Fendi

In 2018 Abloh was appointed artistic director at Louis Vuitton. The same year he was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world, and went on to collaborate with brands including Nike, IKEA, and Evian. More than just a designer, Abloh was also known for his fashion theories that garnered both controversy and respect.

Virgil Abloh’s signature style combined the urban hypebeast movement with the tenets of luxury fashion. This combination redefined what everyone wanted to wear: from streetwear fanatics to high end shoppers. Abloh can be thanked, at least in some part, for the sports luxe style that’s so popular on high streets today.

“Everything I do is for the 17-year-old version of myself.”

Virgil never considered limiting himself to the world of fashion alone. DJing and designing furniture on the side, it seemed his talents had no bounds. He was inspired by the effect that art can have on future generations, and referred to himself as a ‘maker’, so as not to limit his opportunities.

Virgil Abloh’s death was confirmed by his family on 28 November 2021. Aged 41, he died after a two year battle with a rare form of cancer, cardiac angiosarcoma. He was memorialised by thousands of fans and designers who will be forever influenced by Virgil Abloh’s iconic style.

Unlike many in the industry who take fashion so seriously, Virgil was known for his humour and self-awareness. Viewing clothing as a reflection of individual identity, his work bridged the gap between art, music, politics, and contemporary culture. His skill for updating style norms with new cultural reference points gave his work an element of fun and youthfulness that designers of a similar ranking are unable to rival.