How Virgil Abloh's Legacy Lives On

We'll always remember and celebrate one of the world's most talented designers.

It’s been a little over three years since we lost Virgil Abloh. The visionary behind everything from Serena Williams’ ballerina-style skirt for her 2018 US Open performance to the iconic redesign of the Air Jordan 1 passed away from cancer at the age of 41. His smile was infectious, and from all his interviews you could tell he wanted the best for everyone and was determined to uplift as many people as possible. Rather than rehashing his background and career, I instead wanted to talk about how his legacy continues to live on. Making a global name of yourself by the time you’re in your 30s is no small feat, and he worked hard for every opportunity that came his way. If you’d like to learn more about Virgil, I’d recommend watching this video from Threaducation’s YouTube channel that gives an in depth look on his childhood and career.

Photo courtesy of ELLE

Off-White

Virgil founded the company Off-White in 2013 and, in my opinion, has been one of the most successful streetwear brands ever created in terms of popularity. The brand boasts collaborations with Moncler, Levi’s, Jimmy Choo, and countless other household names, along with several fashion week appearances with its own runway. It has 52 stores around the world and you can find their merchandise in dozens of popular streetwear shops like Dover Street Market as well. Virgil started the company with New Guards Group, a global luxury fashion brand developer. Off-White has seen quite a bit of M&A activity in a short amount of time:

• August 2019 - New Guards Group was acquired by Farfetch

• July 2021 - LVMH purchases a 60% majority stake for an undisclosed amount

• July 2024 - Bluestar Alliance (who last week purchased a controlling stake in Palm Angels) purchases Off-White from LVMH

Amidst the company’s financial struggles it still boasts an incredibly widespread awareness within the fashion and streetwear communities across the globe. Their latest work includes participation in last fall’s New York Fashion Week and their logo on AC Milan’s kit with their iconic four way logo patterned throughout. Additionally, there are plenty of people who strongly believe in Ib Kamara (the brand’s creative director for the last few years) to continue leading the charge. Only time will tell of the brand’s fate, but I still have a lot of faith in their ability to continue making an impact within fashion.

Photos courtesy of Puma and Vogue

The Virgil Abloh Foundation

Virgil started this foundation the year before he passed. Less than a year later his wife was able to raise an additional $18 million. The foundation’s tenants are to increase exposure, accelerate access, and expand opportunities. They have reward black students across the country with $10k+ scholarships to live out their wildest dreams on various college campuses across the country. The foundation partnered with The Fashion Scholarship Fund in order to administer said funds. There are now over 160 “post modern scholars” who have been named as part of their efforts. Both organizations also partner with companies like Gap, Perry Ellis, Timbaland, and dozens more for career support to scholars and program alumni. The Foundation has stated that starting this year, 60 scholars will be named in each annual cohort, expanding the program dramatically. Amira Linson, a scholarship recipient and former student at the University of North Texas, states on their website, “As a black student at a predominantly white university, traveling and working alongside other black creators showed me I am not alone in the fashion industry. My experience as a ‘Post Modern’ scholar has been life changing. The community this scholarship brought me is one I could have never imagined.”

Seven months ago the foundation named Farai Simoyi, a brilliant and tenured retail executive, as the head of the scholarship fund. She will assist with fundraising efforts as well as oversee various pilot program the foundation looks to run.

Farai Simoyi (left) and Shannon Abloh (right); pictures courtesy of WWD and Farai's website

Virgil’s Design Philosophy

Virgil was brilliant, but one of the best gifts anyone can give society isn’t only their work, but a glimpse into their process. People in the tech community call it open source; I’m always a fan of giving someone a blueprint so that arriving at their own success isn’t more of an uphill battle than it needs to be. He defined his Personal Design Language and debut it during a lecture at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design.

1. Readymade - Creating new ideas based on recognizable parts; incorporating human emotion like irony

2. “Figures of Speech” or the “Quotes” - similar to above in how we should inject human emotion

3. 3% approach - the idea that changing something by that percentage is more impactful than a grandiose overhaul

4. A compromise between two district similar or dissimilar notions - blending concepts like luxury and streetwear

5. Signs of “work in progress” - bringing a rawness to design and then making decisions

6. A societal commentary as a reason to exist now - ensuring that your work has a purpose

7. Speaking to the tourist and the purist simultaneously - appealing to a general audience as well as those who are deep into whatever lane you’re creating within

The interesting thing about these design philosophies is that they can be taken and applied within almost any industry to create something beautiful. He encouraged everyone to come up with their own design language as a framework to approach their respective work.

Virgil - thank you for everything you have given and continue to give us. We miss you, and the industry is a better place simply because you existed.