Virgil Abloh's Humble (Chicago-Based) Beginnings
Recently selected as the incoming artistic director for menswear at Louis Vuitton, Virgil Abloh has been fashion's hottest topic for the past month. And with the recent reveal of a special-edition Air Jordan 1 (created by New York artist Ceeze) in celebration of Virgil, the buzz around his newest appointment isn't dying down anytime soon.
"Off-Louis" shoes being sold for $4,000 USD. Image via.
Virgil will be Louis Vuitton's first African-American artistic director, and remains one of the few black designers to be held in high regard at a French fashion house. Abloh's evolving career is by no means an end to the struggle for representation in the fashion industry and should not be glorified as such. However, his unlikely background speaks to our fascination with Abloh's meteoric rise to fame.
Abloh was born to Ghanaian parents in Chicago and grew up in Rockford, Illinois—a ways away from the city or its suburbs. He then went on to receive an undergraduate degree in civil engineering from UW Madison and a Master of Architecture from the nearby Illinois Institute of Technology. Abloh's career in fashion stems from his sheer passion and determination, as his family has no concrete ties to the industry (although his mother was a seamstress).
Virgil (far right) outside a Comme des Garcons show in 2009. Image via.
After working as an architect, Abloh opened RSVP Gallery in Chicago and soon became Kanye's creative director after they interned together at Fendi. Abloh has worked on Mr. West's merch, stage designs, and album covers for almost a decade.
In 2013, Abloh launched Off-White—a well-known luxury streetwear brand often sported by artists and off-duty models alike. Off-White (based in Milan) was named an LVMH Young Designers finalist only two years after its inception. In addition to his career as a creative force, Abloh performs as a DJ under the name “Flat-White.”
Sneak peek at the Ikea collab. Image via.
Abloh is well-known for successfully intersecting streetwear with luxury and his many highly sought-after collaborations with different fashion houses. He has worked with brands like Champion, Nike, Jimmy Choo, and Ikea. He often uses his art to make political statements, a rare risk for designers to take. Abloh represents all that is cool right now in fashion: self-awareness, irony, and the re-imagining of hype.
Abloh with immigrant soccer players at one of his shows. Image via.
In an interview with the New York Times, Abloh gave an overview of his hopes as creative director: "I want to use Louis Vuitton's history with travel to really look at different cultures around the world to help make all our humanity visible. When creativity melds together with global issues, I believe you can bring the world together. Fashion on this level can really open eyes."
Fashion followers everywhere are eagerly anticipating Abloh's first moves within Louis Vuitton. His rise from Illinoisan architect to Paris-based menswear fashion director are nothing short of impressive and we can't wait to see what Abloh has in store for LV.
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