Virgil Abloh Is Dead

ORIGIN
Virgil Abloh was an American fashion designer, architect, entrepreneur, and DJ. He was the founder and CEO of the ‘Off-White’ fashion brand. In 2018, Abloh was named artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s men’s wear collection. His accolades include the 2017 Urban Luxe award and the 2017 GQ International Designer of the Year Award.

Abloh was born on September 30, 1980, in Rockford, Illinois. He was raised alongside his sister by Ghanaian parents. His mother worked as a seamstress. Abloh attended Boylan Catholic High School. He completed his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (2002), followed by his Master of Architecture at the Illinois Institute of Technology (2006).

CAREER
Abloh started out as a DJ in the 1990s. His stage name at the time was Flat White. He also worked briefly at an architecture firm prior to his success in the fashion industry. Abloh met Kanye West in 2002 and became his creative consultant in 2003. The two interned for Fendi in 2009. They reportedly made $500 a month interning from Fendi’s Rome office.

Abloh founded the art gallery/menswear boutique ‘RSVP Gallery’ in 2009. The following year he was named creative director of Kanye West’s Donda creative agency. He oversaw a number of projects for Donda, including concert merchandise and stage shows. He also served as artistic director for the collaborative album Watch the Throne (2011) by West and Jay Z.

Abloh launched the streetwear brand ‘Pyrex Vision’ in 2012. He purchased deadstock Ralph Lauren clothing and screen-printed designs and logos onto them. Those pieces of clothing were then sold for upwards of $500 apiece. Pyrex Vision closed its doors in 2013.

Abloh was probably best known for his streetwear and luxury fashion brand Off-White. He defined the brand as “the gray area between black and white as the color Off-White”. The company was formed in 2012 and is based in Milan, Italy. It has more than 45 locations, including retail stores in Tokyo and Hong Kong.

Off-White produces clothing, shoes, furniture, and accessories. The company has collaborated with brands like Sunglass Hut, Jimmy Choo, Nike, Converse, and Levi. His collaboration with Nike “The Ten” was dubbed one of the best sneakers of 2017. Off-White has been worn by celebrities like Drake, Travis Scott, Kylie Jenner, Bella Hadid and Rihanna. The brand was nominated for the LVMH Prize in 2015.

In March 2018, Abloh was named artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear line. He was the first African-American to hold said position. His first Louis Vuitton collection premiered at the 2018 Men’s Fashion Week in Paris, France. Abloh’s “Markerad” – a furniture collection with IKEA was released in 2019.

PERSONAL
Virgil Abloh died on November 28, 2021, at the age of 41. His official cause of death was cardiac angiosarcoma – a rear and aggressive form of cancer. He was first diagnosed with the disease in 2019. Abloh kept his diagnosis private. He’s survived by his wife Shannon Sundberg (wed in 2009), and their two children Lowe and Grey. Virgil Abloh was 6ft 2in tall and he was of Ghanaian descent. His personal net worth was estimated at $100 million prior to his death.

Virgil Abloh Bio, Net Worth, Height