Lament for Virgil Abloh (1980-2021) [photos]

Rocked by the news, and stricken by grief because of the passing of legendary designer, Virgil Abloh, the worlds of fashion and hip hop are bracing for the loss of this talented man.

Abloh transformed the sometimes disparate realms by bringing street sensibilities to haute couture heights. When names like JAY-Z and Ye get mentioned alongside fashion figures like this fighter, Abloh’s talent becomes obvious.

Yes, he was a CEO of Off-White, a label he founded, and the artistic director of Louis Vuitton. These are just the positions of a man driven by his ego. This is no disrespect. His attention to his own self, and his ideas on fashion, propelled him to heights based on his own self-worth.

He could incorporate phrases and lingo from the urban landscape into his label with aplomb. His coolness and easiness belied a mind on fire.

Ever the creative agent in the arena of what’s in vogue, he relied on his rationally selfish nature to come up with designs and campaigns that rivaled other fashion houses. His rationality let him dream up all of the fashion he had pent up in him.

The drive he possessed pushed him to be like what writer and philosopher Ayn Rand wrote: a creator who needed independence. Of course he could do deals with other people. That doesn’t mean he was altruistic or selfless. In fact, he was even more morally ambitious because he knew how to interact with others.

The common misconception is if you’re determined and strong-willed like Abloh, you’re somehow a tyrant. In reality, the man exhibited reserve, class, and the epitome of grace.

Style was just a component in this man’s arsenal of virtues. He courted controversy with his designs but stuck to his own integrity. He held onto the idea he could enter through the highest levels of fashion by being an intern with Ye at Fendi for $500 a month.

That was the man’s strength. To not humble himself but simply recognize reality. He needed to know the basics of one of the most posh fashion houses in the world.

Abloh’s resolve to express gratitude to his mentors and an edginess amongst his few peers, made him a matador in his field. With his thoughts, he crafted his own lane, and made it possible for other designers to flourish based on his expertise. His mind allowed him to experiment and explore different avenues. His Pyrex Vision line drew interest and mostly acclaim. In his mind, Abloh knew it was just an experiment, but people yearned for the line to expand. He saw the benefits of trying new things, and never shied away from his post as a beacon amongst a wasteland.

When he designed the different fabrics, he knew in his mind he made them out of a need to see his dreams go out into the ether.

His ability to take low-brow threads and transform them into high class products marked his genius for manufacturing, marketing, and selling. A graduate of University of Wisconsin-Madison (BS civil-engineering) and Illinois Institute of Technology (MArch), also aided in his journey to be a statesman for fashion. By knowing the different aspects of the designs and structures of buildings, he could later interpret the designs for clothes and shoes.

For his steadfastness, and ability to solve problems in a world sometimes plagued by incompetence, Abloh’s memory will be preseved throughout all generations for knowing what to do and when to do it.

His battle with cancer was not broadcast to those outside of his inner circle. He fought his disease like he fought for his placement in the canon of great men of the mind.