The Aesthetic of Off White

“PRESENTATION”

OFF-WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh

2018 © In-Class Event

OFF-WHITE

BY: JACOB BERN AND ABBY SIMPSON

“MOOD BOARD”

OFF WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh OFF-WHITE

OFF-WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh

HISTORY. “FAMILY” His parents immigrated to America from Ghana and raised him in Chicago, Illinois where he attended a Catholic High School.

“COLLEGE” In 2002, he obtained his undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Madison-Wisconsin then received his masters in Architecture from the Illinois Institute of Technology.

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“Young Architects Can Change the World by Not Building Buildings”

“CAREER”

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“[Music] is meant to be eye-opening”

HISTORY.

OFF-WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh

Virgil has been DJing since he was a young teenager. He rarely talks about DJing and when he does he addresses it in a way that shows it is a side passion of his in which he has never liked to define or solidify with an explanation.

The age of the American club scene was his initial inspiration and fascination with music, so when he saw that there was a disparity of this influence in the American vision, he decided to bring it back by starting to DJ again.

He values not only the culture in which he was raised in but the impact that it could bring to society today. He DJ’s with CDs only rather than the aux cord which parallels the same design motto and inspiration behind his clothing career.

Virgil joined Donda, Kanye West’s creative agency, as the creative director and fashion advisor where he over saw projects such as coordinating fashion shows and organizing concert merchandise.

In 2011, he was the Art Director for the Jay-Z and West album Watch the Throne from which he was nominated for a grammy award in 2012 for best Best Recording Package.

“We were a generation that was interested in fashion and weren’t supposed to be there.

We saw this as our chance to participate and make current culture. In a lot of ways, it felt like we were bringing more excitement than the industry was.”

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PYREX PYREX

OFF WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh OFF-WHITE

While still with West, Virgil launched his own fashion brand, While withwhere West,he hescreen launched his own fashion brand, Pyrex still Vision, printed graphics onto Pyrex Vision, where he screen printed graphics onto vintage vintage Ralph Lauren rugby shirts and champion tees.

Ralph Lauren rugby shirts and champion tees.

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Pyrex only lasted for about a year and then that same year Pyrex only lasted for about a year then that same year he launched his luxury men’s and and women’s streetwear labelhe launched Off-White.his luxury men’s and women’s streetwear label OffWhite. Although Pyrex had a short life, Virgil believes that it was integral to his success andbelieves necessary toitstumble a Although Pyrex hadfuture a short life, Virgil that was little bit before he found his true mark. an integral part to his future success and necessary to After receiving Grammy andmark. watching one of stumble a little the bit before he nomination found his true his brand’s go through a life cycle, Virgil had all the momentum launch his brand,nomination Off-White. and watching one Aftertoreceiving theown Grammy of his brand’s go through a life cycle, Virgil had all the momentum to launch his own brand, Off White.

“WELCOME”

OFF-WHITE OFF-WHITE

OFF WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh OFF-WHITE

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From the skeleton of Pyrex Vision, Virgil took the bold, graphic style, that made his original line so appealing and refined his aesthetics as a parallel to the reformation happening in his own style.

Off-White is an extension of Virgil’s perspective on the modern creative world. Virgil’s life of artistic endeavors, starting from as early as his study of architecture, built a fully realized opinion on what it takes to be a competitive, recognizable name in the industry today.

Off-White, and the world so breathtakingly created around each season of garments, is a representation of Virgil’s artistic opinion.

Off-White is “defining the area between black and white as the color Off White.”

“AESTHETIC”

OFF-WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh

ONLINE

“PHYSICAL RETAIL” 8 9

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“CULTURE”

OFF-WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh

The blending of the arts and culture, the co-dependent relationship between traditional artistic specializations and the modern pulse of trends, is the foundation of what Off-White embodies, both in visual aesthetics and current cultural currency. The mechanical feeling of the brand’s iconic belts, cinched around a oversized patchwork denim pants, paired with a cropped plaid long sleeve, and accessorized with leather boots and a PVC tote, creates a brand aesthetic more dynamic than streetwear.

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14 “I love the fact that Off-White can be questioned.”

“COLLABORATIONS” LOUIS VUITTON

COLLABORATIONS 18

LEVI MADE AND CRAFTED

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OFF WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh OFF-WHITE UMBRO

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MONCLER

NIKE

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“SPECIAL PROJECTS” “DONT LOOK DOWN”

“SPECIAL PROJECTS”

OFF WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh OFF-WHITE

“INDUSTRIAL BY NATURE”

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IMPACT

OFF-WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh

With so much weight placed on the uniqueness of what OffWhite represents in terms of the melting and merging of multiple art disciplines and the current youth culture, Virgil secured a logo that is the essence of the brand’s aesthetic. Off-White is more than the clothes they produce. It is a graphic, sleek, immersive culture reflective of the creative world that has become impossible to ignore - it is a fully developed and mesmerizing experience. Virgil Abloh was able to tap into a time and aesthetic thriving on collaborative interdisciplinary culture, where his bold love for design, regardless of field, transcends traditional fashion design.

Off-White is fashion, architecture, sculpture, and branding.

Off-White is bold, graphic, and sleek. Off-White is couture and streetwear. Off-White is art and fashion.

CREDITS

OFF-WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh

1 - http://cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/161205181735-design-miami-virgil-abloh-2-full-169.jpg 2 - https://theperfectplay.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/virgil-abloh-grime-mix-bbc-1xtra-radio-1-11.jpg 3 - https://www.ghnaijarivalry.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/virgil2-1024x576.jpg 4 - http://theplugmag.co/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/ad77f3571f66267f0a75ecfcf4c3d3cd-200x300.jpg 5 - http://www.upscalehype.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/jay-z-unveils-magna-carta-holy-grail-album-

wearing-pyrex-vision-23-flannel-button-up-shirt.jpg 6 - https://media.gq.com/photos/55c3bf6dfb580c9d7655d7e6/master/pass/virgil-abloh-01_1024.jpg 7 - https://www.off---white.com/en/US/retails/off-white-sydney 8 - https://www.off---white.com/en/US/retails/off-white-taipei 9 - https://www.off---white.com/en/US/retails/off-white-beijing1 10 - https://www.off---white.com/en/US/retails/off-white-new-york 11 - https://www.off---white.com/en/US/retails/shangai-sis 12 - https://cdn.off---white.com/images/156978/large_OMNA029S188860601910.jpg?1507536480 13 - https://cdn.off---white.com/images/155201/large_OWIA076F174801730110_28.jpg?1492096740 14 - https://www.off---white.com/en/US/men/products/owrb011f172232036010#image-0 15 - https://media1.popsugar-assets.com/files/thumbor/fKtI6Xcjeg5bhaXtWVf_JL-vx90/fit-in/1024x1024/filt ers:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-/2017/06/08/654/n/1922564/9a62b48fa3d573a7_GettyImaes-647262778_mas ter/i/Kendall-Jenner-Wearing-Off-White-co-Virgil-Abloh-Look.jpg 16 - https://media1.popsugar-assets.com/files/thumbor/GuNNB93UpEQjWG183OazDfBiOQ8/fit-in/2048xorig/filters:

format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-:watermark-!popsugar-watermark_2x.png,-5,-5,0!-/2017/06/08/724/n/1922564/139

e889759397a146c68f3.21578700_edit_img_image_43617993_1496930612/i/Celebrities-Wearing-Off-White-co- Virgil-Abloh.jpg 17 - https://media.gq.com/photos/579143da8b24ad771441571d/master/w_800/virgil-abloh-gq-0816-03.jpg 18 - https://static.highsnobiety.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/13214036/virgil-abloh-off-white-louis-vuitton-col lab-00.jpg 19 - https://shop.r10s.jp/global-round/cabinet/03670232/imgrc0067175578.jpg 20 - https://static.highsnobiety.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/08142312/off-white-x-levis-drops-today-heres- products-feat.jpg 21 - https://is4.fwrdassets.com/images/p/fw/z/OFFF-MO36_V3.jpg 22 - https://sneakernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/virgil-abloh-off-white-nike-blazer.jpg 23 - https://www.off---white.com/en/US/special_projects/dontlookdown 24 - https://www.off---white.com/en/US/special_projects/greenhouseinstallation 25 - https://www.off---white.com/en/US/special_projects/Industrialbynature