Virgil Abloh, the immortal

He was the rising star of fashion. He left us too soon, in 2021, aged only 41. But beyond his death, his influence lives on...

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A career with the big names in luxury

Nothing destined Abloh, a young American with a degree in architecture, for the world of fashion... However, the concept store he opened in 2009 in Chicago quickly became a meeting place for the wanabee-branchés. Spotted by Kanye West, he was appointed creative advisor to the singer. Abloh's career then took off at rocket speed. In a few years, he launched his own brand before being promoted to head of the men's collections at Louis Vuitton in 2018. Time magazine considers him one of the most influential people in the world: it's a consecration.

At the same time, Abloh is developing collaborations with major clothing brands (Nike), luxury brands (Baccarat), but also more mainstream names (Evian, Ikea).

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A designer of genius

For his original creations, Abloh is inspired by his era, but more particularly by the nineties; he brings the codes of the street into the world of fashion, injecting his clothes with references to hip-hop and skateboarding, as well as elements borrowed from photography or graffiti. He reinvents the codes of luxury and chooses, for example, to soften the bags and the famous Vuitton trunks. He lays the foundations of a casual yet elegant fashion, where accessories sometimes take the form of clothes - if not the other way around...

One thing is certain: Virgil Abloh's legacy is still very much alive. Beyond luxury and fashion, his work has infused contemporary culture. His boldness, his art of mixing genres and tribes, high culture and popular art, politics and aesthetics, will continue to influence designers around the world for a long time to come.