Louis Vuitton designer dies of rare cancer at 41
PARIS: Mr Virgil Abloh, the American-born son of Ghanaian immigrants who became fashion's highest profile black designer and the creative mind behind Louis Vuitton's menswear collections, died in Chicago on Sunday at age 41, following a two-year battle with a rare form of cancer.
He is survived by his wife and two children.
"For over two years, Virgil valiantly battled a rare, aggressive form of cancer, cardiac angiosarcoma," said a message posted on his Instagram account.
"He chose to endure his battle privately since his diagnosis in 2019, undergoing numerous challenging treatments, all while helming several significant institutions that span fashion, art, and culture."
Mr Abloh, who also worked as a DJ and visual artist, had been the men's artistic director for the French luxury brand since March 2018.
He founded the Italian luxury streetwear label Off-White, in which French fashion conglomerate LVMH, which owns Louis Vuitton, took a 60 per cent stake earlier this year. He was a former collaborator with US rapper and fashion designer Kanye West, who dedicated his latest Sunday Service to Mr Abloh.
Mr Bernard Arnault, the billionaire boss of LVMH said in a statement on Sunday: "We are all shocked by this terrible news. Virgil was not only a genius designer, a visionary, he was also a man with a beautiful soul and great wisdom."
Mr Abloh travelled to Doha just weeks ago in November as the Qatar Museums unveiled Virgil Abloh: Figures Of Speech, a mid-career retrospective. - REUTERS
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