Virgil Abloh passed away by cancer | Africanews

Star of the millennials and king of luxury streetwear, the American designer Virgil Abloh, creator of the men's collections of the Louis Vuitton house, died Sunday of cancer at the age of 41, announced the LVMH group, parent company of Vuitton.

The first major black designer recognized on the fashion scene, committed to the affirmation of African-American cultures, the stylist, a fan of hip-hop, had landed in 2018 one of the most envied positions in the fashion and luxury sector. , within the flagship brand of LVMH, the world leader in luxury.

"The LVMH group, the Maison Louis Vuitton and Off-White have the immense pain of announcing the disappearance of Virgil Abloh, struck down this Sunday, November 28 by a cancer which he had been fighting for several years", declared LVMH on its account Twitter.

The son of Ghanaian immigrants, he was married with two children, Lowe and Gray Abloh.

The illness he had been battling for two years had not been made public.

"He has chosen to endure his battle in private since his 2019 diagnosis" of cardiac angiosarcoma, a rare malignant tumor located in the heart, his family explained in a post on the designer's Instagram account, mentioning " many difficult treatments".

An artist of "infinite curiosity", he has created "paths for more equality in art and design", greeted his family who calls for respect for his privacy to mourn and "celebrate the life of Virgil".

Bernard Arnault, president of LVMH, said he was "in shock", hailing "a genius designer, a visionary" and "a beautiful soul".

The announcement of his death sparked a number of emotional reactions around the world.

Kim Jones, at Dior Homme and Fendy (and predecessor of Virgil Abloh at Vuitton), paid tribute on Instagram to "one of the nicest people you could meet".

"We will miss him deeply although his vision will continue through the paths he has traced throughout his career", reacted the Gucci house (Kering group).

"Virgil Abloh was the essence of modern creativity," said Alexandre Arnault, vice president of Tiffany, on Instagram.

"No one will forget the mark you left," tweeted footballer Kylian Mbappé.

"Your work as a human and your work as a spiritual being will live forever," American rapper Pharrell Williams said on social media.

How to apply Osmo Canada Polyx Oil - The Original Hardwax-Oil. You can find @osmocanada products at our WoodMarket! https://t.co/5B84zB1ue8

— Metal Wood Studio Fri Jul 07 18:50:09 +0000 2017

"Rest in power", tweeted actor Omar Sy.

Virgil Abloh was born on September 30, 1980 in the United States, in Rockford (Illinois).

This hip-hop fan started his DJ activities in high school before graduating in civil engineering from the University of Wisconsin and in architecture from the Illinois Institute of Technology.

In the early 2000s, he became an artistic consultant for Kanye West, advising the rapper in particular on his record covers and the scenography of his concerts.

Inclusiveness and anti-racism

King of luxury streetwear, he had established himself in just a few years as one of the "coolest" designers with an audience of connected millennials.

Recognized on numerous occasions for his work, the prestigious British Fashion Awards “Urban Luxe” award was given to him, among others, in 2017 and 2018.

His January 2021 collection for Louis Vuitton, unveiled as part of virtual Fashion Week in Paris, was presented in the form of an anti-racist and anti-homophobic performance led by American rappers.

Virgil Abloh had questioned how stereotypes and uniforms related to professions and lifestyles shape personality, striving to change these preconceived ideas.

“Fashion is a tool for shaping these identities (…) Unconsciously, we trust a figure in a suit and we are suspicious when we see the outline of a hooded sweatshirt”, could we read in the notes that accompany the collection.

In 2012, he created his first label, Pyrex Vision. A year later Off-White was born, a luxury streetwear brand which imposed itself by the strength of its graphics before evolving towards more "couture" creations.

LVMH had reached an agreement in July with Virgil Abloh to become the majority shareholder of its Off-White brand. The designer was pleased with "the necessary power and dimension" brought by LVMH "to accelerate our momentum and make Off-White a true luxury brand".

LVMH also intended to extend its collaboration with the American to launch new brands and wanted to "imagine new partnerships" with him, "beyond fashion".

Abloh hoped to use his partnership with LVMH to "foster greater equity and inclusion in the industries" he served.