Virgil Abloh meant a lot of things to a lot of people. Through his work at Off-White and Louis Vuitton, his many collaborations, his outreach and his prolific work outside of
fashion, he was a creative force who touched many.
Abloh died on Sunday following a private battle with cancer, the news of his passing announced both on his personal Instagram account and by LVMH, parent company to Louis Vuitton, where he was most recently artistic director of menswear collections. (The luxury conglomerate had also recently acquired a majority stake in Off-White.) Many in the fashion industry began mourning the prolific creative online, sharing their memories and experience with Abloh publicly.
"I am lost for words," wrote Donatella Versace. "The world has lost a fashion superstar. An innovator. A creator for the history books. I am thinking of all your loved ones on this tragic day."
Kim Jones called Abloh "one of the kindest people you could meet," and remembered "many great [times] spent traveling the world and hanging out in hotel rooms working in the floor and going through Japanese magazines and laughing and talking about ideas."
Recommended Articles
"Virgil Abloh changed the fashion industry," said Edward Enninful. "Famously prolific, he always worked for a greater cause than his own illustrious career: to open the door to art and fashion for future generations, so that they — unlike himself — would grow up in a creative world with people to mirror themselves in."
From colleagues to collaborators to muses, see how the fashion industry is honoring the life and legacy of Abloh.
Tom Ford, designer and chairman of the CFDA
Jerry Lorenzo, designer, founder of Fear of God
Kim Jones, designer, creative director of Dior Men, creative director of Fendi
Donatella Versace, designer
Aurora James, designer, founder of Brother Vellies and of the Fifteen Percent Pledge
Alessandro Michele, designer, creative director of Gucci
Sergio Hudson, designer
Stella McCartney, designer
Jameel Mohammed, designer, founder of Khiry
Pierpaolo Piccioli, designer, creative director of Valentino
Victor Glemaud, designer, founder of In the Black
Michael Kors, designer
Simon Porte Jacquemus, designer, founder of Jacquemus
Ryan Roche, designer
Prabal Gurung, designer
Marc Jacobs, designer
Amina Muaddi, designer
Rhuigi Villaseñor, designer, founder of Rhude
Kenneth Nicholson, designer
Maria Grazia Chiuri, designer, creative director of Dior
Abrima Erwiah and Rosario Dawson, founders of Studio 189
Gigi Hadid
Pharrell Williams
Yara Shahidi
Hailey Bieber
BTS
Tracee Ellis Ross
Kris Jenner
Bella Hadid
Amanda Gorman
Odell Beckham, Jr.
Adut Akech
Questlove
Michèle Lamy
Alton Mason
Joan Smalls
Reese Laflare
Kendall Jenner
Winnie Harlow
Kaia Gerber
Edward Enninful, OBE, editor-in-chief of British Vogue, European editorial director of Vogue
Carine Roitfeld, editor, founder of CR Fashion Book
Samira Nasr, editor-in-chief of Harper's Bazaar
Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, editor, stylist
Nina García, editor-in-chief of Elle
Ade Samuel, stylist
Imran Amed, founder and CEO of Business of Fashion
Kimberly Drew, curator, author
Karla Welch, stylist
Kimberly Jenkins, historian, founder of The Fashion and Race Database
Eva Chen, head of fashion partnerships at Instagram
Pierre A. M'Pelé, head of editorial content of GQ France
Zadrian Smith, stylist
Antoine Gregory, founder of Black Fashion Fair
Calyann Barnett, stylist
Scott Schuman, photographer, founder of The Sartorialist
Never miss the latest fashion industry news. Sign up for the Fashionista daily newsletter.