The name Virgil Abloh is known far beyond Chicago. This talented designer made his mark globally, inspiring the masses with his unique vision and design. Let’s take a closer look at his life and contributions to fashion on chicagoka.com.
Early Life and Youth
Abloh was born in 1980 in Rockford, Illinois, and grew up in the suburbs of Chicago. His interest in fashion was nurtured by his mother, a seamstress, who taught him everything about sewing and constructing clothes. His father worked in a factory.
As a teenager, Virgil was restless. He befriended troublemakers, loved music, and spent little time on schoolwork. Soon, he started DJing at house parties and small local events. When it was time to choose a profession, Virgil struggled to decide. However, he eventually listened to his father, who wanted him to become an engineer. Abloh enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he earned a bachelor’s degree. He then pursued a master’s degree at the Illinois Institute of Technology, where a fateful meeting with Kanye West took place.
Career Development
While studying, Abloh began writing about fashion and design for the blog “The Brilliance.” In 2009, Kanye West offered him a collaboration, making Abloh the creative director of his advertising agency. Soon, the two celebrities started attending fashion shows in Paris together.
In 2012, Abloh launched his first clothing line, “Pyrex Vision,” and later collaborated with Matthew Williams and Heron Preston on a collective project, “Been Trill.” The idea behind the “Pyrex Vision” brand was to appeal to youth culture, creating familiar clothing with a fresh twist. Abloh bought flannel shirts from “Ralph Lauren,” added his designs, and sold them under his own brand. Purchasing each shirt for $40, Virgil managed to sell them for over $500. Despite its success, he had to close the brand in 2013, stating in an interview that it was an artistic experiment. Though short-lived, “Pyrex Vision” helped establish Abloh’s name in the fashion industry.
In 2013, Abloh launched the streetwear brand “Off-White” in collaboration with a company that would later become “New Guards Group.” The brand quickly gained popularity, with most items featuring distinctive designs such as bold lettering, quotation marks, and zippers.
In 2014, Virgil presented a women’s collection at Paris Fashion Week. In 2017, he began collaborating with “Nike,” reworking 10 of the company’s signature sneakers. While preserving the shoes’ original structure, Abloh added his innovations, including zippers and bold slogans.
In 2018, Abloh succeeded Kim Jones as the artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s men’s wear. His first show for “Louis Vuitton” aimed to reboot the brand for a new generation. The models walked the runway in a collection inspired by the 1939 musical film The Wizard of Oz. Abloh’s career continued to flourish from there.
In 2019, he launched his own brand, “Virgil Abloh,” designed a wedding gown with a veil for model Hailey Baldwin, and held the exhibition “Figures of Speech” at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. The exhibit featured graphic designs, sneakers, clothing, and furniture created throughout his career.
Design with a Message and Contributions to the Fashion Industry
Despite the simplicity of his collections, Abloh imbued his designs with deeper meanings. For example, the quotation marks on clothing were meant to draw attention to social norms and challenge entrenched stereotypes. Abloh often used his designs to respond to significant events. In 2017, when Donald Trump became president of the U.S., Abloh created a clothing line that highlighted the values of immigration, multiculturalism, and globalization.
That same year, Abloh collaborated with Planned Parenthood, releasing several T-shirts in support of the Women’s March in Washington, D.C. He also showcased his talents in other areas, designing furniture for “Ikea” and launching his own home goods line, “Grey Area.” Additionally, he collaborated with “Rimowa” to release a series of transparent suitcases, designed to speed up airport security checks.
Despite his busy schedule and frequent travels, Virgil was a devoted husband and father. He met his future wife while in school, and they married in 2009, eventually having two children.
In 2021, at the age of 41, Virgil Abloh passed away after battling cardiac angiosarcoma, a rare form of cancer. Over his career, Abloh received numerous awards, including a Grammy for “Best Recording Package” for his work with Kanye West and Jay-Z. GQ recognized him as the designer who created the best shoes, and in 2018, Time magazine included him in its list of the 100 most influential people in the world. These achievements secured his place in fashion history.