We always seem to lose our brightest stars, it sometimes seems like it is not an accident. This is really a world of losses and they are hard-talented young men gone.
Fashion’s highest-profile black designer, and the man behind some of the more renowned men’s Louis Vuitton collection, Virgil Abloh died at the age of 41 on Sunday.
According to the French luxury goods giant, Abloh had been battling cancer privately for years.
Abloh was also the designer behind the ever-so-popular Off-white brand, which LVMH, bought a 60-percent stake in.
His style allowed for a mix between streetwear and high-end fashion, with his influence including graffiti art, hip hop, and skateboard culture.
This past July, LVMH expanded its role with the company, giving him the mandate to launch new brands and partner with existing ones, in a variety of sectors beyond just fashion.
The American fashion designer also worked as a DJ and a visual artist and had been with Louis Vuitton since March 2018.
Virgil Abloh, the influential fashion designer who rose to become artistic director for Louis Vuitton’s men’s line, died Sunday.
He was just 41 years old.
Abloh had been battling cancer “privately for several years” before succumbing to the disease, according to his company.
A statement posted on his personal Instagram account said he had been diagnosed with “a rare, aggressive form of…cardiac angiosarcoma” in 2019 but had chosen to keep it private.
“Through it, all, his work ethic, infinite curiosity, and optimism never wavered,” the statement read. “Virgil was driven by his dedication to his craft and to his mission to open doors for others and create pathways for greater equality in art and design. He often said, ‘Everything I do is for the 17-year-old version of myself,’ believing deeply in the power of art to inspire future generations.”
Bernard Arnault, CEO of LVMH, called him “not only a genius designer, a visionary, but he was also a man with a beautiful soul and great wisdom.” LVMH owns Louis Vuitton among other luxury brands.
“The LVMH family joins me in this moment of great sorrow, and we are all thinking of his loved ones after the passing of their husband, their father, their brother or their friend,” Arnault said in a statement.
Abloh worked as an intern at Fendi in 2009, the same year as rapper Kanye West, and the two formed a relationship, with Abloh eventually becoming the creative director of DONDA and the artistic director for the 2011 album “Watch the Throne” from West and Jay-Z.
The designer is survived by his wife, Shannon, their two children, Lowe and Grey, his sister Edwina and parents Nee and Eunice.
