Virgil Abloh RIP (1980 - 2021)
Virgil Abloh was iconic. Everyone knows that. With his tragic and sudden passing on Sunday, we thought it would be good to take a look at some of his invaluable contributions to the world of streetwear, fashion, art and the culture we all love. One can never fully capture the influence Virgil had on the world as a whole, but here is a small breakdown of some iconic projects by the legend.
Been Trill/Pyrex
Been Trill was supposed to be a DJ collective. Formed by Virgil Abloh, Heron Preston, Matthew Williams, YWP, Florencia Galarza, and Justin Saunders in 2013, the group leveraged their high level contacts to DJ and quickly gain popularity along with a social following. Shortly after things started taking off, the group began to sell merchandise, taking their influence to a whole different level. Emblazoned with the words Been Trill in Rocky Horror Picture font and gigantic hashtags, the merchandise was sold at incredibly high pricing, despite the items relatively average level of quality.
On top of Been Trill, Virgil also launched his iconic brand ‘Pyrex Vision’ in 2012. The brand's name referenced drug culture as often drug were mixed in Pyrex glassware and spoke about in hip-hip. Demonstrating his amazing command for branding, Abloh purchased deadstock Ralph Lauren flannel shirts for $40 each, and screen printed them with the word Pyrex and the number 23, an homage to his childhood hero, Michael Jordan. He would then sell them for $550 each, not to mention how much they used to be resold for after the fact. The brand expanded into tees, shorts and other apparel before it was shut down by the glassware brand the name “Pyrex” was referencing. It is said that a lot of Pyrex’s DNA can be seen in the early years of his next project, Off-White.
Off-White
Continuing his tongue-and-cheek references to drug culture, Virgil’s new brand Off-White took the world by storm. Launched in 2013, the brand served as a multi-platform creative endeavor based in Milan. At Off-White, Virgil combined ideas of streetwear, luxury, art, music, and travel, defining the brand simply as, “the gray area between black and white as the color Off-White.” From the get-go, hovering quotation marks become Abloh’s signature. His brand grew from strength to strength, soon becoming a household name in the world’s of luxury and streetwear. Many consider Off-White one of the first brands to bridge this gap between street and runway - something that is hard to separate today, but it was Virgil that lead the way.
The Off-White brand’s strong presence in the fashion and art world lead to one of the most iconic collaborations of the decade and maybe even our lives - Nike x Off-White.
Nike
When Nike teamed up with Virgil Abloh, they changed the sneaker world forever. Virgil Abloh and Nike's "The Ten" collaboration was the biggest sneaker event of 2017. No one disputes this.
The Off-White "The Ten" project included sneakers from Nike as well as Nike-owned brands Converse and Jordan. From late October to early November in 2017, the first releases were split into two packs of five. The “REVEALING” pack contained the Off-White™ Nike Air Jordan 1, Air Max 90, Air Presto, Air VaporMax, and Blazer Mid. The “GHOSTING” pack included an Off-White™ Nike Air Max 97, React Hyperdunk, Air Force 1, Zoom Vaporfly, and Converse Chuck Taylor All Star. "It’s larger than design culture," said Abloh at the time. "These 10 shoes have broken barriers in performance and style. To me, they are on the same level as the sculpture of David or the Mona [Lisa]. You can debate it all you want, but they mean something."
After ‘The Ten’ and the world’s unbelievable responses, Virgil was given Carte Blanche over all of Nike’s archives. He did multiple Air Force 1s (even partnering with MoMA for an exclusive colour), multiple Jordan 4s, a pack of 50 different dunk colours, as well as retro Dunks and a Futura collab, multiple Jordan 1s, a pack of Vapor Streets, Blazers and so many more. His creativity knew no limits. It was also during this era that Virgil started writing the names of his friends on their gifted pairs, something everyone who ran into Virgil had to try themselves.
Music
Virgil Abloh's love for music is an overarching theme throughout his entire career. First highlighted during his Been Trill days, Virgil used to DJ under the name 'Flat White'. He grew up DJing, later pivoting to fashion but maintaining his love for music and mixes, combining the two as he grew into the icon he is today. Besides performing, Virgil also work on albums with his artist friends, including Jay-Z and Kanye’s ‘Watch the Throne’ which he was nominated a Grammy for. Other notable influences include directing ASAP Rocky’s ‘Fashion Killa’ and ‘XO Tour Life’ by Lil Uzi Vert to name just a few.
In 2018, Virgil partnered with Apple on the “Televised Radio” series. It was in these two-hour sessions that Virgil masterfully combined his worlds of fashion and music, allowing his fans to listen to him chop it up with his celebrity and artist friends.
Louis Vuitton
In 2018, Virgil shocked the world once more by becoming the Men's Wear Designer for the prestigious LV brand. He was a pioneer. Abloh became Louis Vuitton’s first African-American artistic director, and one of the few black designers at the top of a French heritage house. What followed was some of the most exciting LV products the brand has ever seen. From iridescent duffles, to chest rigs and Nike-influenced footwear, Virgil was in his element, combining themes of luxury and streetwear fashion at the highest level. Not many will forget his rainbow runway for the Louis Vuitton's Spring 2019 menswear show which had every celebrity imaginable making sure they were seated right in front. Virgil was only beginning to hit his stride with the luxury fashion label and we can only wonder what amazing creations he would be treating us to today.
Rest in Peace Virgil Abloh, the loss of his presence will undoubtedly be felt by everyone forever.
