“ABLOH
“VIRGIL ABLOH EXHIBIT”
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“LARGE PRINTED PICTURE INCLUDED INSIDE”
Virgil Abloh for Cultured Magazine
“ABLOH AVENUE: REVOLUTIONIZING STREET STYLE”
3 Text courtesy of Jenna Blaha --Photography by Petra Collins
“I believe that in our modern world design is linked to humanity. That you can make the world a better place through design. If you think about how in this room [we all have] varied opinions, but if we put an object on a table those opinions go away and we just appreciate the object that came from one person.” - Virgil Abloh
WHAT IS STREET STYLE? Photography by Tommy Ton
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AUTHENTIC STREET STYLE
riginally attractive because of its perceived “authenticity,” its offer of “alternative” choice and its capacity to “say” something significant about those who wear it, street style has moved into a key position within the clothing industry in a postmodern age characterized by a crises of identity, truth, and meaning. This is to say, not only has the “fashion industry” come to increasingly and persistently look to “the street” for design inspiration, but, more significantly, that how clothing functions in the early 2000s from the perspective of the consumer—how it is purchased, worn, and valued—is more rooted in the history of street style than in the history of high fashion. Street style obliged the individual to wear his or her values and beliefs on the sleeve—in a way that more often than not required commitment and courage. Arguably, it is this capacity to give visual expression to where one is “at”—to articulate personal differences and, therefore, to create the possibility of interpersonal connection between like-minded individuals—which, in an age of too much communication and too little meaning, is street style’s most valuable legacy.
“ABLOH AVENUE: REVOLUTIONIZING STREET STYLE”
Text courtesy of Valerie Steele -- Photography by Tommy Ton
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Virgil Abloh for Nike
Photography courtesy of Nike
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“VINTAGE LEVI’S ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT AS AN HERMÈS BAG AND TODAY THEY’LL COME TOGETHER IN THE SAME OUTFIT.”
irgil often says the moment he realized he was ready to go into the industry was in 2012, when Balenciaga did a graphic T-shirt that superimposed the phrase JOIN A WEIRD TRIP over a screen-printed image of a sphinx—pure streetwear, with a high-fashion label stitched on. “In a large part streetwear is seen as cheap. What my goal has been is to add an intellectual layer to it and make it credible,” explains Abloh, whose label unites an edgy street aesthetic with luxury-level fabrication and positioning, tapping into the tastes of a generation of consumers for whom streetwear is just as fashionable as traditional luxury brands. “The consumer is already dictating what they prefer,” he adds. “Vintage Levi’s are just as important as an Hermès bag and today they’ll come together in the same outfit.”
“ABLOH AVENUE:”REVOLUTIONIZING STREET STYLE
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Virgil Abloh for Vogue
7 Text courtesy of Zach Baron & Christopher Morency -- Photography by Yannis Vlamos
ABLOH
Photography by Sebastian Kim
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“STREET STYLE” VIRGIL ON STREETWEAR
“ABLOH’S VALUE ISN’T IN THE IDEAS HE HAS ABOUT FASHION BUT RATHER IN THE IDEAS HE HAS ABOUT ITS CONSUMERS”
bloh is the first black man in Louis Vuitton’s 164-year history to debut a men’s-wear line. He’s also, he might point out, the first man in his position to hail not from New York City, or even the suburbs, but from Rockford, Illinois—a far midwestern cry from the majestic largesse of Paris’s Grand Palais des Champs-Élysées, where, the previous afternoon, his meteoric rise was capped off with a Wizard of Oz-themed rainbow runway. Abloh’s technicolor, multicultural parade of models and artists donning mohair jumpers and bright leather trench coats, all of them affixed with L.V. monograms and Abloh-esque flourishes, was a decisive statement: we’re not in Kansas anymore. Abloh’s value isn’t in the ideas he has about fashion but rather in the ideas he has about its consumers. To him, the premise of streetwear is not only design but consumption. “People, when they say ‘streetwear,’ they miss the central component,” he tells me, “which is that it’s real people; it’s clothes that are worn on the street. The street,” he says, is “where you get the relevant ideas to real people.”
“ABLOH AVENUE:”REVOLUTIONIZING STREET STYLE
Text courtesy of K. Austin Collins
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“INDUSTRIAL BELT” F
irst presented at Virgil Abloh’s inaugural OFF-WHITE runway show that displayed his 2016 fall/winter collection, the “Industrial Belt” is part of the initial pieces that are now slowly popping up at a variety of retailers. Relatively inconspicuous in comparison to some of the other more loud pieces, this yellow belt, which is produced at an extra-long length, features black embroidery with the brand’s motifs, while red stitching runs throughout the middle. Finishing touches include a sturdy, utilitarian metal buckle that allows for length adjustment so the wearer can style it to how they see fit.
Text courtesy of Arby Li-- Photography courtesy of Hypebeast
Flexible strap worn around the waist
A covering for the foot
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irgil Abloh is merging the worlds of high fashion and streetwear expertly. His latest brainchild arrives in the form of classic heels. Abloh’s heels speak to the woman with a shifting style who can pull on a sleek, 100-percent leather heel and conquer the day. To appease the streetwear lovers, we see the “FOR WALKING” tag stamped on the side for an added edge.
“ABLOH AVENUE:” REVOLUTIONIZING STREET STYLE
11 Text courtesy of Esiwahomi Ozemebhoya-- Photography courtesy of Hypebae
“STILETTO”
Photography courtesy of Nike
“ ICONS RECONSTRUCTED”
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“ABLOH AVENUE:”REVOLUTIONIZING STREET STYLE
13 Text courtesy of Nike -- Photography courtesy of Adam Katz Sinding
“The important thing about The Ten for me is that it’s Nike recognizing its icons from the past, but showing them for the design integrity of the future. A postmodern idea about design, culture, innovation, and athletic performance all intetwined into one.” -Virgil Abloh
Text courtesy of Ross Dwyer-- Photography courtesy of Marcus Tondo
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Ever since his original “The Ten” collaboration with Nike took the sneaker world by storm in 2017, Virgil Abloh has been firmly planted at the forefront of sneaker culture. His knack for offering fresh and striking takes on Nike silhouettes both classic and new plus his ability to generate massive amounts of hype have made him one of the most powerful figures in the industry today. Now he’s turned the heat up yet another notch with the athlete-inspired footwear he presented at his recent Off-White runway show in Paris.
“ABLOH AVENUE:” REVOLUTIONIZING STREET STYLE
15 Text courtesy of Ross Dwyer-- Photography courtesy of Marcus Tondo
“Sport, like fashion, shares a common language that seeks to unite cultures, break down barriers and celebrate the power of the human spirit,” said Abloh when asked about his inspiration for the collection “This season, I was inspired by the voice of the athlete and the power of sport to impact positive and transformative change globally.” Take a look at the footwear offerings from the collection below, and stay tuned for release info as it’s available.
INNOVATING HISTORY
The surface is finished in both embossed monogram like LV’s Vernis patent leather, as well as a color-shifting iridescent oil slick finish. The bag appears to be translucent, which suggests Abloh is going in guns blazing to transform LV in his image. The bag is finished with a clear plastic chain strap, and the use of chain would also be a a first for the Keepall.
Text courtesy of Amanda Mull-- Photography courtesy of Alex Majoli
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“HOLOGRAPHIC KEEPALL”
“ABLOH AVENUE: REVOLUTIONIZING STREET STYLE”
Photography courtesy of Yannis Vlamos 17
longside his design, he is known for his mastery of social media and his resonance with Millennials. “Virgil’s biggest strength lies in his understanding of his market,” says David Fischer, founder and chief executive of influential streetwear and youth culture title Highsnobiety. “He has figured out smart ways of engaging his audience. I am impressed with how long he has managed to keep OffWhite top of mind and therefore have no doubt that he will be able to keep that up for longer… Ultimately, it’s a true modern testament of how to build a brand.”
Text courtesy of Christopher Morency-- Photography courtesy of Corey Tenold
So, what’s the secret to Abloh’s success?
THE “FUTURE”
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Virgil Abloh for W Magazine
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“ABLOH AVENUE: REVOLUTIONIZING STREET STYLE”
“THE END OF ”
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“CREATED BY TAYLOR DZIEDZIC”