It is by no surprise that in the short span of 10 years, Virgil Abloh has risen from being design intern at Fendi to being appointed as Louis Vuitton’s creative director. His well defined, minimal and flexible aesthetic has guided the designer through his success at his luxury streetwear label, Off-White.
“I am all about championing this new era of designers becoming the new rock stars,” wrote Virgil Abloh on The Brilliance in 2007. And boy, did he champion. Abloh’s education in design and architecture, passion for art and fashion and innate business acumen is what has made him the designer to look out for.
At Off-White, Abloh allows creativity to run wild, limiting the label to no certain limitations. His work transcends the boundaries of mainstream fashion, art, and design, further exploring spaces in luxury, architecture, music, and travel. This philosophy is defined in his brand line, “the gray area between black and white as the color Off-White.” Ablohs perseverance to this motto has led him to indulge in collaborative projects across the globe. Jimmy Choo, Nike, Takashi Murakami are a few of the names on his client list, a client list that Ikea will be joining next year.
Abloh is taking things to the next level with a collaboration with the worlds leading furniture brand, Ikea. IKEA announced that “together, IKEA and OFF-WHITE look for ways to help create a home for millennials who are just starting out their lives. We’re looking at that first phase of adult life when you start making purchases for your space. Largely people grow up in their parents’ environment. They’ve never had to consider furniture,” Abloh said in a statement. “Then when they’re off on their own and have their own aesthetic, what are their first purchases? I’m interested in thinking about how those purchases are informed.”
System Magazine tenth issue has been the only reveal of the collaboration, and the expansive understanding of its process, and Abloh’s vision. The collaboration has been a well-kept secret, and with a few sneak peaks via social media. Virgil Abloh and Ikeas have hinted at interested reinterpretations of Ikeas signature FRAKTA bag. Abloh’s Instagram also revealed two rugs incorporating Off Whites timeless aesthetic and quotation signature in bright colours.
The collaborative works will be available in the Off-White stores worldwide in 2019. Systems 10th issue asks the important question, “What is Virgil Abloh”; an important question in the age of grey spaces in fashion, design, and art. This question however directed to Abloh, serves as a question to the entire industry, where professions are making a conscious effort to explore outside of what’s expected of them.
This collaboration with Ikea is a leading example of just that.
allgrey.wordpress.com 