[RUSSEL] Fashion designer Virgil Abloh may be at the center of haute couture, but he’s
got a tight grip on hip-hop too.
He’s merging both lanes – from doing music videos for A$AP Rocky and Lil Uzi Vert to
putting Playboi Carti & Kid Cudi on the runway.
Above all, the Off-White founder has the hottest rappers in the game wearing his clothes and
making it known that they’re friends with him.
[RUSSEL] Virgil rose to prominence as the right-hand man of another Chicago creative:
Kanye West, who he met while working at a screen-printing store.
Impressed with his designs, Ye hired Virgil as his personal creative director.
Kanye West: I'm thinking of all these ideas and Virgil's able to take all of those ideas,
and then architect them, because he is an architect.
[RUSSEL] Virgil ended up becoming a close friend, appearing at fashion shows with Kanye.
In 2009, the two were snapped together in an iconic photo at Paris Fashion Week.
Working for Kanye’s creative think tank Donda, Abloh handled West’s art direction
and rollout from ‘808’s and Heartbreak’ to ‘Yeezus.’
And did the same for G.O.O.D music artists like Big Sean, Kid Cudi & 2 Chainz.
Virgil Abloh: Kanye and myself have been friends for 14 years now.
We’ve always been driven by fashion.
We’ve always been the kids in the store wanting to know more.
[RUSSEL] In 2012, Virgil launched his art project turned first clothing label, Pyrex
Vision, screen printing Renaissance paintings and 23’s on reused garments.
A year later, on “I Am A God” – Kanye shouted out Virgil and the brand.
[RUSSEL] In 2013, Virgil co-directed his first music video, A$AP Rocky’s “Fashion Killa”
– which also starred Rihanna.
[RUSSEL] At the same time, Virgil was also part of the DJ crew and party collective Been
Trill, which spawned apparel popular for what was known as its street goth aesthetic.
But the trend may have taken a hit when Rocky took a jab
at it on 2014's "Multiply."
[RUSSEL] In 2013, Virgil rebranded Pyrex after it was criticized for screen printing their
logo onto old Ralph Lauren flannels and reselling them.
Pyrex was reborn as Off-White, which got hot quick after showing at Paris Fashion Week.
The brand’s quotation marks and zip ties became ubiquitous as Off-White stores began
popping up worldwide.
And its impact is reflected in dozens of rap lyrics in the years following its initial
release, like in 2014 on Future’s “Radical.”
[RUSSEL] And in 2015 on Uzi’s “Safe House…”
[RUSSEL] And even more recently, on Quavo’s ode to the designer, “Virgil.”
[RUSSEL] In 2017, Virgil designed the Off-White duct tape-wrapped cover art for Lil Uzi Vert’s
debut album ‘Luv Is Rage 2.’
He also directed the visuals for Uzi’s mega-hit “XO Tour Llif3.”
[RUSSEL]And in 2018, Virgil took over the airwaves with the debut of his Beats 1 show
“TELEVISED RADIO.”
That same year, he became the first African American artistic director of menswear at
Louis Vuitton, the world’s biggest luxury fashion house - and rappers have been shouting
out the two together ever since.
[RUSSEL] Virgil’s Louis Vuitton debut at Paris Fashion Week was a testament to how
far his career has come.
At the end of his show, he shared a heartfelt moment with his friend and mentor Kanye West.
[RUSSEL] Recently in February 2020, Virgil announced Off-White’s International Rap
Video Production Studio and teased an inaugural video for “Shake The Room '' from Quavo
and Pop Smoke, who passed away just days after the announcement.
It seems like the production house could be the creative’s next big hip-hop undertaking.
[RUSSEL] Virgil Abloh bridged the gaps between high-fashion, streetwear, and rap, all while
rubbing shoulders with the best in each field.
And in an age where everyone wants to be a creative director, Virgil has set the bar high.
I’m Russel Abad for Genius News bringing you the meaning and the knowledge behind the music.