Off-White Fall 2018. Indigital
Virgil Abloh, founder of haute streetwear label Off-White, has been named the new artistic director of Louis Vuitton Menswear. Abloh is set to make his debut for the LVMH-owned maison in June during Men’s Fashion Week in Paris, where he will present his first collection.
The appointment, which was widely rumored for months, follows the announcement that his predecessor, Kim Jones is joining Dior Homme as its new artistic director, replacing Kris Van Assche.
“I feel elated. 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,” Abloh said in an interview with The New York Times. The Chicago native plans to relocate his family to Paris to fulfill his new role.
Michael Burke, Louis Vuitton chairman and CEO said in a statement shared on Instagram today: “Having followed with great interest Virgil’s ascent since he worked with me at Fendi in 2006, I am thrilled to see how his innate creativity and disruptive approach have made him so relevant, not just in the world of fashion but in popular culture today. His sensibility towards luxury and savoir-faire will be instrumental in taking Louis Vuitton menswear into the future”.
A successful purveyor of “hype” (Remember the mob scene outside of his most recent Fall 2018 Paris show?), Abloh first rose to prominence as a successful DJ and Kanye West’s creative director. In 2012, he made his fashion debut with Pyrex Vision, a short-lived streetwear label before launching Off-White in 2014.
