While Virgil Abloh was always known to shake up the fashion world, his appointment as creative director at Louis Vuitton in 2018 left the industry in complete shock and awe. Replacing Kim Jones, he was the label’s first African-American director and one of very few Black designers to helm a major European fashion house at this calibre.
This was a full circle moment for the Off-White founder. In a 2018 interview with Vogue, he discussed that both he and Kanye West’s first sparks of design inspiration came from going to the LV store on Michigan Avenue. who would’ve thought that years later Abloh would be heading the Parisian brand’s menswear division? Now, according to a new report from The Sun, Kanye is “being tipped to take over from Virgil Abloh. The pair are said to have masterminded the move… before Virgil’s death aged just 41.”
“They shared a similar vision and now Kanye feels he owes it to Virgil to continue his work at Louis Vuitton.” continued the tabloid paper.
Image through Louis Vuitton
While this news has certainly not been officially confirmed by Louis Vuitton, Kanye West, or Virgil Abloh’s estate, if it happens to be true, it shouldn’t really come as too much of a surprise. Ye’s history with Louis V stretches back over a decade when he collaborated with them on a line of sneakers. The silhouettes, dubbed the Don, Jasper, and Mr Hudson, retailed for around £900 back in 2009. Now, they easily sell for over £25,000 a pop. The American rapper has also been making waves among the fashion industry himself with his Yeezy brand and his partnership with adidas which recently reached nearly $1.7 billion in annual revenue.
Would you like Kanye West to replace Virgil Abloh’s creative director role at Louis Vuitton? Is it too soon for him to make this move? let us know what you think, and while you’re here, here are 10 Virgil Abloh collaborations that changed the world.
Image through Axel Antas-Bergkvist