Virgil Abloh Named Artistic Director of Menswear at Louis Vuitton
The celebrated Ghanaian-American designer will bring his unique vision to the biggest luxury brand in the world.
Virgil Abloh, the designer, DJ and creative genius behind the Milan-based fashion label Off-White, will take his talents to French luxury brand Louis Vuitton as their new head of menswear, reports The New York Times.
"I feel elated," he told the publication. "This opportunity to think through what the next chapter of design and luxury will mean at a brand that represents the pinnacle of luxury was always a goal in my wildest dreams. And to show a younger generation that there is no one way anyone in this kind of position has to look is a fantastically modern spirit in which to start."
The label announced via Twitter this morning, that the designer's first show will take place during Men's Fashion Week in June.
With his new post, the first generation Ghanaian-American designer, will become one of just two black designers to hold a high-profile position at a major fashion brand—the other being Balmain's Olivier Rousteing, reports The Guardian.
The Chicago-born fashion maven first made waves when he acted as artistic director for Kanye West and Jay-Z's 2011 joint album Watch the Throne, for which he earned a Grammy nomination for Best Recording Package. He launched Pyrex Vision the following year, before creating the high-end streetwear label Off-White in 2013.
The designer made huge waves in the streetwear industry last year when he redesigned ten Nike footwear classics.
With the appointment of Edward Enninful as Editor in chief of British Vogue last year, and the Liberian-owned label TELFAR winning the prestigious CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund prize, Africans are making groundbreaking movies in the fashion industry, and we're glad to see the movement continue through gifted designers like Abloh. Congrats to the designer!
