Louis Vuitton has named Virgil Abloh, the 37-year-old founder of the luxury streetwear brand Off-White, as its new artistic director of menswear. Abloh's name has been floating around in fashion circles as a possible candidate for the top spot that's been vacant since January. News of the announcement sent shockwaves throughout social media on Sunday night (Mar. 25th), with many people expressing their excitement at the potential of what the Chi-town native could bring to such a European brand.
Abloh's success can be attributed his notorious Off-White label which merges the worlds of streetwear and high fashion, but also to his passionate fan base of loyal followers that engage with him and support his brand across social media. Abloh, someone who is attuned to youth and street culture in a way that legacy brands are desperately clamoring to be a part of is an obvious choice for the French brand. Abloh has also created a reputation for himself as being a serial collaborator, creating limited-edition collections with a wide array of brands including Jimmy Choo, Warby Parker and Nike.
In a statement, Michael Burke (Chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton) says that "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."
He will continue to work and design at his Off-White label, which is based in Milan. His first show will be this June during Men's Fashion Week in Paris. We're looking forward to see what he brings to the table!
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