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Fashion Designer Virgil Abloh Dies Of Cancer At 41
Our condolences to his family and loved ones.
Legendary fashion designer Virgil Abloh has died from cancer at the age of 41.
Abloh made history in 2018 as the first-ever Black designer to serve as artistic director for Louis Vuitton. Before that, he had founded his own label, Off-White, which featured dozens of iconic collabs with such brands as Nike, Serena Williams, Jimmy Choo, Timberland, Ikea, Takashi Murakami, and more.
The fashion industry has been rocked by his sudden death.
“LVMH, Louis Vuitton and Off White are devastated to announce the passing of Virgil Abloh, on Sunday, November 28th, of cancer, which he had been battling privately for several years,” said Bernard Arnault, LVMH chief executive officer in a statement. “We are all shocked after this terrible news. Virgil was not only a genius designer, a visionary, he was also a man with a beautiful soul and great wisdom. The LVMH family joins me in this moment of great sorrow, and we are all thinking of his loved ones after the passing of their husband, their father, their brother, or their friend.”
Abloh privately battled and underwent treatments for cardiac angiosarcoma, a rare form of cancer, for the past two years.
“Through it all, his work ethic, infinite curiosity, and optimism never wavered,” wrote his family on his Instagram account. “Virgil was driven by his dedication to his craft and to his mission to open doors for others and create pathways for greater equality in art and design. He often said, ‘Everything I do is for the 17-year-old version of myself,’ believing deeply in the power of art to inspire future generations.”
In a final farewell, Louis Vuitton announced that it will present his final Spring/Summer Collection as a “tribute to the life and legacy of a creative genius.”
“It is with profound sorrow that I learned of the passing of Virgil Abloh,” said Louis Vuitton Chairman and CEO Michael Burke in a statement. “Virgil was not only a friend, great collaborator, creative genius, visionary and disruptor, but also one of the best cultural communicators of our times. He paved the way for future generations. As a devoted supporter of his community through his charities and passions, he was an eternal optimist who believed anything was possible.
The collection will be shown in Miami on Tuesday, Nov. 30 at 5:30 pm ET.
