Few creatives changed the language of fashion quite like Virgil Abloh. Long before his appointment at Louis Vuitton, Abloh was building a world where fashion could exist alongside music, art, design, and street culture. From founding Been Trill and Pyrex Vision to launching Off-White and reimagining the sneaker through Nike’s “The Ten,” his career was defined by a willingness to question what fashion could be and who it could speak to.
Below are 10 moments that capture the breadth of Abloh’s creative vision and enduring influence.
1. Been Trill
Before Off-White and Louis Vuitton, there was Been Trill. Founded alongside Heron Preston, Matthew Williams, Justin Saunders, and others, the collective became a creative hub connecting fashion, music, DJs, and internet culture. For Abloh, it was an early example of his instinct to build communities around ideas rather than confine creativity to a single medium.
2. Pyrex Vision
With Pyrex Vision, Abloh began challenging traditional ideas around luxury and value. The project famously reworked Ralph Lauren flannels with bold Pyrex branding, transforming familiar pieces into objects that spoke to streetwear’s growing influence on fashion. It was an early glimpse at Abloh’s ability to take something recognizable and completely shift its context.
3. The Birth Of Off-White
In 2013, Abloh launched Off-White, creating a label that existed somewhere between luxury fashion, streetwear, art, and architecture. The brand’s quotation marks, diagonal stripes, industrial graphics, and playful approach to branding quickly became part of a new visual vocabulary. More than a label, Off-White became a platform for Abloh’s constantly evolving creative ideas.
4. His DJ Career
Music was never separate from Abloh’s fashion practice. As a DJ, he performed around the world and brought the same curiosity and cross-disciplinary approach to music that he brought to design. His sets, collaborations, and deep connection to artists reinforced an idea that would become central to his career: creativity doesn’t need to stay in one lane.
5. LVMH Prize Appointment
Abloh’s rise continued when Off-White became a finalist for the LVMH Prize in 2015. The recognition placed the designer and his label within one of fashion’s most established institutions while signaling the industry’s growing interest in the new generation of designers reshaping luxury.
6. Off-White x Nike “The Ten“
Perhaps one of Abloh’s most influential collaborations, “The Ten” saw him deconstruct and reconstruct 10 iconic Nike sneakers. Exposed stitching, reworked laces, zip ties, and quotation marks became instantly recognizable signatures. The project demonstrated how Abloh could turn familiar products into cultural objects while making collaboration itself a form of creative authorship.
7. Louis Vuitton Appointment
In 2018, Abloh was named artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear, becoming the first Black artistic director of the house’s menswear collections. The appointment represented a major shift in the luxury fashion landscape and placed a designer whose roots were deeply connected to street culture at the helm of one of fashion’s most historic houses.
8. Louis Vuitton Debut—June 2018
Abloh’s first Louis Vuitton menswear show in June 2018 became an important cultural moment. Staged at the Palais-Royal in Paris, the collection brought together the codes of Louis Vuitton with Abloh’s contemporary visual language. The show also underscored his belief in fashion as a space for representation, community, and cultural exchange.
9. Maybach Collaboration
Abloh’s creative reach extended far beyond clothing. His collaboration with Mercedes-Maybach brought his distinctive design language into the world of automotive design, transforming the S 680 into a limited-edition work of art. Only 150 vehicles were produced, featuring a two-tone exterior with a warm tan lower body contrasted by a black roof and windows.
10. Virgil Abloh™ “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund
Perhaps one of Abloh’s most lasting contributions exists beyond the runway. The Virgil Abloh™ “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund was created to support Black students pursuing careers in fashion. Through the fund, Abloh’s commitment to expanding access and creating pathways into the industry became part of his broader legacy, ensuring that his impact could extend to the next generation of creatives.
Author: Mecca Pryor
Read the original article on Essence.
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