Kanye West’s longtime creative director Virgil Abloh is a Louis Vuitton Don. The 37-year-old entrepreneur is the new artistic director of menswear at the luxury brand.
Abloh is breaking barriers. He’s the first African-American artistic director of a top French heritage house. He also arrives on the heels of Kim Jones, his predecessor, who is now at Christian Dior.
“I feel elated,” he told The New York Times. “This opportunity to think through what the next chapter of design and luxury will mean at a brand that represents the pinnacle of luxury was always a goal in my wildest dreams. And to show a younger generation that there is no one way anyone in this kind of position has to look is a fantastically modern spirit in which to start.”
Virgil Abloh has already taken over the fashion world without a formal fashion education. He founded the award-winning and uber-popular Off-White in 2013 and has already worked with Nike, Jimmy Choo, Moncler, and Ikea. “In a way, all of my output has been to make a compelling case for me to take on a role such as this,” he explained. “I think of it as kind of the ultimate collaboration.”
Some things won’t change. Despite his new gig, Virgil Abloh will keep running Off-White and working with Kanye West. However, he may cut back on DJing. His first Louis Vuitton show will be in June.