Remembering Virgil
Virgil was much much more than a designer; he was a multitasking creative genius. Artist, architect, engineer, musician, DJ, creative director, artistic director… I digress. He was a true, broad-minded, selfless visionary. As one of the few black designers to ever take on creative control of a luxury fashion house, he opened new doors for the Black community, as he dreamed and dedicated his career to. Throughout his career, Virgil was a genius of all trades, and a true inspiration for that same community.
His works shared a common thread, and all seemed to offer comment on the exact same moment in time (intentionally sometimes, but not always) and most of them would tweak the longstanding design traditions he recruited the items for. The intervention was grounded on how an object looked. He was artistic as one could possibly be. His remixes on designs, whether it be a big or small item, always felt immediate and direct. Here was a man who would take a classic, eye-catching thing, and reinvent it into his own classic.
A key take away from Virgil’s work, was use of architecture. He was very much fundamentally interested in shapes, and the field was very important to his designs. He applied a modern, deconstructionist sensibility to all his projects, regardless of the medium. We see it in his work often, and in many other brand’s work since.
Bella Hadid, Off-White Fall RTW 2021
Besides his designs, a very important part of Virgil was his Vision. From his own site, he has a large portion dedicated to this philosophy, and his hopes, thoughts, and ideals for systematic change. The creative genius was committed to helping ensure that social revolution was not just a moment, but a movement. He truly believed a multi-layered approach was the key to making a lasting difference.
With the hope to inspire others to fuel lasting progress in their own communities, companies, and industries, Virgil broke down walls for masses of people. From his own advocacy report, he was strong with intention to open new doors for the Black community. He was in an “ongoing progress of lifting up Black voices and showcasing Black talent and achievement.”
Virgil’s life and powerhouse of a career ended far too soon. The important thing to focus on is that his dreams, his life goals, they came true. He helped change this industry and the lives of so many people. It is a beautiful legacy to leave behind.
References:
Business of Fashion. (2021). Virgil Abloh. Retrieved from Business of Fashion: https://www.businessoffashion.com/community/people/virgil-abloh
Reiss, S. (2021, December 2). Virgil Abloh Designed Way More Than Just Clothing. Retrieved from GQ: https://www.gq.com/story/virgil-abloh-design-legacy
Rice, K. (2021, Decmber 7). ‘The Most Impressive Thing Was the Way You Treated Others’: Virgil Abloh’s Colleagues Pay Tribute to a Fashion Pioneer. Retrieved from Rolling Stone: https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/virgil-abloh-colleague-tribute-1265708/
Virgil Abloh . (n.d.). Transparency Report. Retrieved from Virgil Abloh: https://virgilabloh.com/postmodern/