after establishing PYREX VISION and serving as the Creative Director of Kanye West, Virgil Abloh founded off white in 2012. Its evolution has been fast and pronounced ever since his short-lived T-shirt project from 2012 that became a surprise streetwear phenomenon. since then Abloh has established himself as the type of multidisciplinary designer whose output resonates widely with everyone from suburban kids to artists like Jenny Holzer and Tom Sachs.

Abloh studied civil engineering at the University of Wisconsin–Madison before earning his master’s degree in architecture from the Illinois Institute of Technology. it’s no secret he has respect for Raf Simons and Martin Margiela. Yet more and more Abloh has created a visual vocabulary of his own. He brought a message of street-savvy and inclusiveness to fashion with its easy-to-understand aesthetic and reimagined street-style pieces. the label originally started as a menswear brand but in 2014, the designer extended his statement-branded hoodies, T-shirts and sweatpants to womenswear. As the label grows, its pieces have been reinvented with fresh sophistication in the form of blanket checks, distressed denim and tailoring-with-a-twist.

On 26 March 2018, Virgil Abloh was named artistic director of Louis Vuitton men’s wear. he is the label’s first African-American artistic director and one of few black designers of a major European fashion house.

photography: adam katz sinding, backstage at presentation off white aw 2016