Louis Vuitton star designer Virgil Abloh has died

Top fashion designer Virgil Abloh, the artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear collection, died on Sunday at the age of 41 from cancer, the fashion and luxury house’s French owner LVMH has announced.

Abloh, the American-born son of Ghanaian immigrants who became fashion’s highest-profile Black designer, also worked as a DJ and visual artist and had been at Vuitton since March 2018. He also founded the Italian luxury streetwear label Off-White, in which LVMH took a 60 percent stake earlier this year, and was a former collaborator with rapper and fashion designer Ye, formerly known as Kanye West.
Her retired footballer spouse, David, 46, added: “Devastating news of the passing of Virgil Abloh. A true creative pioneer whose legacy will last forever.”

Musician Finneas, 24, said: “A true inspiration in so many ways. Rest in peace @virgilabloh. Sending love and light to your beautiful family. We will all miss you so very much x.”

And Good American co-founder Khloe Kardashian, 37, simply tweeted a series of white doves and heartbroken emojis.

Virgil “valiantly battled a rare, aggressive form of cancer, cardiac angiosarcoma.”
The family asked for privacy while they “grieve and celebrate” the fashion icon’s life.

They concluded: “We thank you all for your love and support, and we ask for privacy as we grieve and celebrate Virgil’s life.”

The designer famously made history when he took over from Kim Jones at Louis Vuitton in 2018, as the first African-American to helm a luxury French fashion house.

Virgil trained as an architect and went on to become a pioneer of game-changing street fashion with Off-White, which he founded in 2012. He got into fashion when he landed an internship at Fendi in 2009 alongside rap superstar Kanye West, and they continued to collaborate together.