The Visionary, The Icon, The Maker: Virgil Abloh
Words by Jennifer Engmann
When the news of the beloved Virgil Abloh’s passing was announced via his personal Instagram page, the sudden loss shocked fans and friends alike. Not only did he create, but he also inspired a new generation to dream past their shortcomings. Even without having had decades-long of a career, his impact was tangible. Here we look back at his life and career and celebrate the man that was, Virgil Abloh.
1990’s: Before fashion was music, DJ’ing had become an outlet for Virgil starting in his early years in High School. Playing at fashion parties, rap gigs and festivals, in an interview with The Guardian, he explained this part of his life, “DJing is my only peace of mind. When the phone is off, I play my favourite songs really loud for myself and I’m not talking to anyone, I’m not managing anything; it’s just like a time when I can listen to music...I’ll be DJing after I’m done designing or doing anything else.”
2002: After graduating from the University of Wisconsin upon completing a degree in civil engineering, Abloh takes an opportunity to meet with Kanye West which undoubtedly changed both of their lives. From that point going forward, West enlists Abloh as a creative consultant which leads to Abloh working at DONDA, West’s creative agency.
2005: Abloh becomes one of the contributors of The Brilliance blog, started by fellow Chicago designers Benjamin Edgar and Chuck Anderson. The site is currently still live with musings and posts from the designers about their interests in at the time. The website’s introduction reads: ‘We’re really internet and we’re really back. A website about things Benjamin, Chuck, Virgil, and various friends & guests think are interesting. Little-to-no specific focus, a bit odd, spelling errors, and incredibly culturally relevant.’
2006: The most notable difference in Abloh’s fashion career is his experience in Architecture. He completed his master’s degree in architecture from the Illinois Institute of Technology.
2009: This was an eventful year for Abloh, as he began interning at Fendi alongside West at their HQ in Rome, giving them both an insight into fashion design at a luxury level. In the same year, he and a fellow DONDA colleague opened up a retail conceptual space named RSVP Gallery. The store currently stocks other streetwear and high-fashion brands including Off-White. West and Abloh started to make their names this year at Paris Fashion Week, “We saw this as our chance to participate and make current culture. In a lot of ways, it felt like we were bringing more excitement than the industry was.” Abloh reflects in an interview with W Magazine.
2010: It was this year that Abloh was officially appointed as the Creative Director at DONDA. One of his notable projects was designing the album cover of the My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Abloh picked artist George Condo to make various paintings, which led to the current cover of a painting of a ballerina on a red background.
2011: As part of DONDA, the artwork for the Watch The Throne Album by West and Jay-Z was a collaborative effort from the collective alongside religious iconography from Riccardo Tisci (then the Givenchy creative Director). This led to Abloh receiving his first Grammy nomination for ‘Best Recording Package. Several album covers would later be designed by Abloh through out his career.
2012: Pyrex Vision, a line of luxury-priced streetwear was launched as Abloh’s first fashion company. Buying dead-stock Ralph Lauren flannel shirts for $40 and screen printing onto them the Pyrex name with the number 23 (for his childhood hero Michael Jordan). The shirts were an instant hit selling for $550 each.
2012-2013: Abloh shuts down the Pyrex brand and launches Off-White with New Guards Group, as a multi-platform creative endeavour based in Milan. The fashion side was the main expression, with his designs being a culmination of luxury and streetwear.
2014-15: Off-White launches it womenswear line was just in time for Paris Fashion Week, showcasing at low-key presentations for its first few seasons, to which the brands Instagram page grew to 3 million followers. Abloh was also nominated as a finalist for the LVMH prize in 2015, a foreshadowing of his appointment a few years later as Louis Vuitton’s artistic director for menswear.
2016: Off-white menswear has its first runway show at Paris Fashion Week, as well as this Abloh was recognised by Business of Fashion’s, BoF500 index as one of people shaping the $2.4 trillion fashion industry. Outside of fashion, Abloh debuted his Grey Area furniture collection in Milan.
2017: In this year Abloh collaborated with two major brands, Nike and IKEA. Launching an Off-White collaboration with IKEA claiming “together, IKEA and OFF-WHITE look for ways to help create a home for millennials who are just starting out their lives.” The Nike collaboration allowed Abloh to recreate 10 of Nike’s classic silhouettes, named The Ten, the sneaker line continues to be highly sought after, often selling out in minutes.
2018: Louis Vuitton appoints Abloh as the artistic director for menswear, one of fashions highest positions.
2021: LVMH buys Off-White obtaining a majority stake in the company, this was a huge moment for Abloh in deepening his relationship in the luxury conglomerate. On Sunday 28 th November, Abloh would lose his battle with a rare form of cancer, cardiac angiosarcoma, after being diagnosed 2 years ago. Unbeknownst to the public Virgil continued to create and design while dealing with the disease. A testament to his drive and passion.
To date, Virgil Abloh remains one of the biggest influences in fashion. Inspiring both his peers and upcoming creatives with his approach to design, not being afraid to be different, by pushing the boundaries in his designs. He will be greatly missed as one of fashions greatest visionaries, we at WOTC offer our thoughts and condolences to the Abloh family and his friends.