Virgil Abloh, Artistic Director For Louis Vuitton, Dies Of Cancer

ILLINOIS — Virgil Abloh, the artistic director for Louis Vuitton menswear and founder of Milan-based fashion brand Off-White, died Sunday of cancer. He was 41.

"For over two years, Virgil valiantly battled a rare, aggressive form of cancer, cardiac angiosarcoma," a post from his verified Instagram account read. "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.

"Through it all, his work ethic, infinite curiosity, and optimism never wavered," the post stated. "Virgil was driven by his dedication to his craft and to his mission to open doors for others and create pathways for greater equality in art and design."

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LVMH — the company that owns Louis Vuitton — released a statement about Abloh's death on Twitter. In that statement, LVMH CEO and chairman Bernard Arnault expressed shock over the news and called Abloh "not only a genius designer" and a visionary, but also "a man with a beautiful soul and great wisdom."

Born in 1980 in Rockford, Illinois, Abloh was the son of Ghanaian immigrant parents. He studied civil engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and earned a master's degree in architecture at the Illinois Institute of Technology, according to his bio online.

His fresh approach to fashion, as well as his ability to bridge the gap between streetwear and luxury, made him a pioneer in the industry. A frequent celebrity collaborator, Abloh became the first Black artistic director to lead Louis Vuitton menswear in 2018. And in that same year, he was named one of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people in the world.

The prolific designer is survived by his wife, Shannon Abloh; his children, Lowe and Grey Abloh; his sister, Edwina Abloh; and his parents, Nee and Eunice Abloh.