Abloh, who holds a master's degree in architecture from the Illinois Institute of Technology, was a pioneer of cross-disciplinary collaborations. Establishing bridges between different professions and creating “pathways for greater equality in art and design”, he first started his career within architecture and engineering before moving to the fashion world in 2009. Greatly influenced by his architectural training, Abloh explained on several occasions how his background helped shape his research into consumerism and culture.
Virgil Abloh, a great American influential figure in the fashion, art, culture, design, and architecture scene, passed away at 41, after a silent battle with cancer. Known for his collaboration with AMO, especially for the Off-White Flagship Store in Miami and in Paris, a brand he founded back in 2012, the trained architect was the first African-American to become the artistic director of a French luxury brand.
The news was announced on Sunday on Abloh’s official Instagram Account. The Creative Director of Louis Vuitton menswear battled a “rare, aggressive form of cancer, cardiac angiosarcoma […] privately since his diagnosis in 2019”, according to the post.
“Space has always had value, but now it means something different. At this moment, once you take things that have traditionally lived in four sacred walls — the art world, the fashion world —this holy layer for purists, and you intersect it with tourists, with people who are authentic to themselves, then you could get change.” -- Virgil Abloh in an interview for System Magazine and Buro 24/7.
Redefining fashion, art, and design, Virgil Abloh, the son of Ghanaian immigrants, born in 1980 in Illinois, U.S.A, was named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in 2018.
