He was the chief creative strategist at Kanye West and the first African American to be responsible for the men's line at Louis Vuitton: Now the visionary Virgil Abloh has died at the age of only 41.
Paris - It's not just the fashion world that mourns.
Musicians, writers and actors all over the world bow to the “creative genius” Virgil Abloh.
The designer and creative director of the men's line at Louis Vuitton died on Sunday at the age of only 41, as the French luxury goods group LVMH announced.
“We are all shocked by this terrible news.
Virgil was not only a brilliant designer, a visionary - he was also a man with a beautiful soul and great wisdom, ”said the chairman, Bernard Arnault.
Abloh has been fighting a very rare and aggressive cancer for more than two years, according to the designer's personal Instagram account.
After the diagnosis in 2019, he decided not to make the disease public and has since endured several debilitating treatments.
"Meanwhile, his work ethic, his infinite curiosity and his optimism never let up," it said in the letter.
Grief on the net
Countless stars expressed their grief online with messages in social networks.
Pharrell Williams wrote on Instagram: “My heart is broken.
Virgil, you have been a gracious, generous creative genius ”.
Rapper Drake wrote: "My plan is to touch the sky 1000 more times for you ... I will love you forever, brother".
Rock star Lenny Kravitz also spoke up: "You have shaped this world permanently."
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Kanye West, for whom Abloh worked as chief creative strategist, did not initially post any post.
On the page for his Sunday masses for his new album "Donda" it said: "In loving memory, Virgil Abloh, the creative director of Donda".
According to media reports, the musician dedicated his mass to the deceased on Sunday.
A choir is said to have sung "Easy on Me" by Adele.
The young US poet Amanda Gorman shared her photo on the cover of the US fashion magazine “Vogue”: It wears an orange-green robe, a design by Abloh.
Based on a sentence by the designer, she wrote: "Let's paint new pictures where the old ones have been wiped out." Victoria Beckham, Gigi Hadid, Justin Timberlake, Orlando Bloom, Diplo and Idris Elba also spoke up.
Actually still big plans
Abloh, who was also known as a DJ and founded his own streetwear brand Off-White, has been the creative director of the men's line at Louis Vuitton since March 2018.
It was only in July that LVMH announced that Abloh, who was born in the US state of Illinois in 1980, would also take on other tasks in the group.
The LVMH statement said they wanted to launch new brands together and also want to work together outside of the fashion industry.
His entry at LVMH (Moët Hennessy - Louis Vuitton SE) caused a sensation in 2018: Abloh was previously the creative chief strategist of US musician Kanye West and the first African American to take the post of chief designer of the men's line at Louis Vuitton.
In addition, Abloh was not a trained designer, but studied civil engineering and architect.
He leaves behind his wife Shannon and two children.
The family thanked for the love and support and now asked that their privacy be respected - "while we mourn and celebrate Virgil's life".
The Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani announced via the Armani Twitter account that he was very sad about Abloh's death.
"I followed his career with great interest, his new approach to fashion and communication, with a strong sense of inclusion." Dpa
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