The fashion world is paying tribute to Virgil Abloh , the trailblazing Louis Vuitton director who died Sunday at age 41.
Abloh, the artistic director for Louis Vuitton menswear and …
The fashion world is paying tribute to Virgil Abloh, the trailblazing Louis Vuitton director who died Sunday at age 41. Abloh, the artistic director for Louis Vuitton menswear and founder and CEO of fashion house Off-White, died after a private battle with a “rare, aggressive form of cancer,” according to social media posts from the brands. He was a pioneer in the fashion world, serving as the first Black artistic director to lead Louis Vuitton menswear. He was a longtime collaborator and friend of Kanye West – the two met while interning for Fendi, and Abloh went on to design several of the rapper’s iconic album covers. West honored Abloh at the end of his livestreamed Sunday Service performance with a title card that read “In loving memory of Virgil Abloh, the creative director of Donda.” USA TODAY has reached out to West’s representatives for further comment. Hailey Bieber, who wore a custom Abloh design for her 2018 wedding to Justin Bieber, shared old photos of the two alongside a lengthy tribute. “Virgil completely changed the way I looked at street style and fashion, the way he looked at things inspired me deeply,” she wrote. “I felt he was always rooting for me.” Bieber added: “He was someone who always brought life, charisma, love and fun to any situation, and every room he walked into. A once in a generation creative mind that is so rare and I’ll never forget his impact.” Colman Domingo, who modeled Abloh’s designs for Louis Vuitton’s Paris Fashion Week show over the summer, shared photos of himself wearing the vibrant looks “in honor of Virgil.” “He made me feel so fly. A master craftsman,” Domingo added. “Thank you for your artistry.” BTS, who modeled Abloh’s designs in a Louis Vuitton show over the summer in Seoul, called the designer “a true creative genius.” “You will be missed,” read a tweet on the group’s Twitter account.
