Virgil Abloh has been confirmed as the next artistic director of menswear at Louis Vuitton.
The New York Times shares this latest report only days after former Louis Vuitton men’s artistic director Kim Jones was appointed the artistic director of Dior Homme, another LVMH-owned group.
The article quotes Abloh as saying “This opportunity to think through what the next chapter of design and luxury will mean at a brand that represents the pinnacle of luxury was always a goal in my wildest dreams. And to show a younger generation that there is no one way anyone in this kind of position has to look is a fantastically modern spirit in which to start.” Abloh will also be re-locating his family to Paris to take on the new role.
Abloh’s move to Louis Vuitton comes after the storied French fashion house collaborated with New York City skateboarding brand Supreme. While Abloh has no education in fashion, his brand OFF-WHITE has gained a cult following in recent times. Born and raised in Chicago, Abloh is a trained architect and civil engineer, and worked creatively with Kanye West for many years.
Abloh also revealed he has been working on an eight-page “brand manual” to help define shape his vision for Louis Vuitton.. “The first thing I am going to do is define new codes. My muse has always been what people actually wear, and I am really excited to make a luxury version of that.”
Abloh will show his first collection for Louis Vuitton during Paris Men’s Fashion Week in June.
