Virgil Ablo: Off-White designer and founder dies aged 41
Written byTimes Magazine
He said that Virgil Ablo, artistic director of Louis Vuitton and founder of the beige fashion label, died of cancer at the age of 41.
The parent company of French fashion house LVMH described Ablo as a "genius" and a "visionary."
This American designer is best known as the creative director of Kanye West but later went down in history as the first African-American to lead Louis Vuitton. Ablo is survived by his wife, Shannon, and their two children.
A statement on his Instagram page described him as a "very devoted father, husband, son, brother, and friend." Ablo was diagnosed with cardiac angiosarcoma - a rare form of aggressive cancer - in 2019, but his diagnosis was not made public.
"Following her diagnosis in 2019, she chose to endure the struggle alone, underwent several challenging treatments, and ran several key institutions in the fields of fashion, art, and culture," the statement said. "Meanwhile, his work ethic, endless curiosity, and optimism never wavered."
Often hailed as one of the most influential designers in the fashion industry, Ablo is also a DJ and artist with degrees in civil engineering and architecture. LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault said: "Virgil was not only a brilliant designer, a visionary, he was also a man with a beautiful soul and extraordinary wisdom.
"The LVMH family joins me at this time of great sadness, and we are all thinking of loved ones following the death of their husband, father, brother, or friend."
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