Last night Art Basel honoredthe memory of Virgil Abloh at his final collection for Louis Vuitton.
At the Miami Marine Stadium, his last Louis Vuitton fashion show was held, where a three-story tall statue of Abloh with a Louis Vuitton portfolio in hand, was the center piece.
The fashion designer, DJ and first Black Louie Vuitton artistic director Virgil Abloh died following his battle with rare cancer at 41.
The news of the fashion icon’s passing shocked everyone from Westside Gunn to Pharrell Williams to Drake, who mourned Abloh’s passing on social media.
“My plan is to touch the sky 1000 more times for you…,” Drake wrote on Instagram. ”love you eternally brother thank you for everything.”
My heart is broken
Virgil you were a kind, generous, thoughtful creative genius
your work as a human and your work as a spiritual being will live forever
Sending love and light to your wife, children, family and day ones
you’re with the Master now, shine
🙏🏾,
P
— Pharrell Williams (@Pharrell) November 28, 2021
Abloh, was a visionary who popularized fashion brands like RSVP Gallery, Prex Vision and Off-White and made some of the most memorable album covers of this generation. He discreetly fought a rare form of cancer for several years.
“We are devastated to announce the passing of our beloved Virgil Abloh, a fiercely devoted father, husband, son, brother, and friend,” shares a post from Virgil’s verified Instagram account. “He is survived by his loving wife Shannon Abloh, his children Lowe Abloh and Grey Abloh, his sister Edwina Abloh, his parents Nee and Eunice Abloh, and numerous dear friends and colleagues.”
Condolences came from all over the world to the family, friends and fans of the Rockford, Illinois native poured into social media instantly following the news of the designer’s sudden passing.
Louie Vuitton issued an official statement about Abloh’s sudden passing,
“LVMH, Louis Vuitton and Off White are devastated to announce the passing of Virgil Abloh, on Sunday, November 28th, of cancer, which he had been battling privately for several years, Louie Vuitton Chairman Bernard Arnault writes. We are all shocked after this terrible news. Virgil was not only a genius designer, a visionary, he was also a man with a beautiful soul and great wisdom. The LVMH family joins me in this moment of great sorrow, and we are all thinking of his loved ones after the passing of their husband, their father, their brother or their friend.”