Virgil Abloh announced as Louis Vuitton's Menswear Creative Director
It was just announced that Virgil Abloh will be taking the head design role of Louis Vuitton menswear. While it has been expected for quite some time now for Virgil to get the opportunity to design for a major fashion house, we couldn't have been happier to see the Off-White creative director land at LVMH's biggest and most well-known brand. With the exit of Kim Jones earlier this year, Louis Vuitton was in desperate need of a creative director that could match what Jones brought forth for LV which was excitement, street relevance, and most importantly hype. I think it is safe to say that Louis Vuitton found the exact person to continue that momentum and even add more to their ongoing success.
Rumors began to surface late last year that Off-White and Louis Vuitton would be doing a collaboration (which will definitely happen now) when Virgil posted this image (above) of a customized Louis Vuitton x Jeff Koons bag strap which of course began the discussion. Considering the current state of things I believe that Louis Vuttion under Abloh will see a lot more than just Off-White collaborations. I will be very curious to see what direction Abloh will take in the next chapter of design. He has forth almost 160 years of history and design with such a strongly recognizable branding, which is something that I think Virgil can really wield to his advantage.
Virgil has already brought forth a new breed of a fashion designer. With no formal training in "fashion," Virgil has ascended from printing on the back of Polo Rugby Flannels to now being the head of a multi-million dollar fashion house that is the pinnacle of high fashion. Not only is this a huge moment for Louis Vuitton and Virgil Abloh, but a huge moment for anyone who aspires to be something in the fashion industry. Traditionally fashion has been an industry with many barriers to entry to keep it exclusive and classist, but in 2018 that is no longer the case. In a quote from the news breaking New York Times article, Abloh said “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."
“The first thing I am going to do is define new codes. My muse has always been what people actually wear, and I am really excited to make a luxury version of that.”
We can expect to see Virgil's first collection with Louis Vuitton at Paris Men's Fashion Week in June.