A new book published by Assouline explores the work of visionary designer Virgil Abloh during his time as Men’s Artistic Director at Louis Vuitton.
Louis Vuitton: Virgil Abloh, the first book on Abloh since his passing in November last year, captures the journey, spirit and legacy of the designer.
The appointment of Virgil Abloh to Men’s Artistic Director at Louis Vuitton — the house’s first African-American to hold that role — marked both a moment and a movement, the origin point of luxury’s new era, one defined by inclusivity, diversity and empowerment.
Written by Abloh’s close collaborator, Anders Christian Madsen, the title offers an intimate, insider portrait of a man born to break boundaries on and off the runway.
Madsen notes that “as a Black creative with no formal training in fashion design, no list of established fashion houses on his CV […] Abloh saw himself as an infiltrator in high fashion: a true outsider who would become a groundbreaking figure.”
Divided into eight chapters, one for each of the eight Virgil-orchestrated Louis Vuitton menswear collections and shows — plus the complete catalogue of the designer’s sneakers — Louis Vuitton: Virgil Abloh deep-dives readers into a singular, kite-flying, rainbow-coloured world filled with rich cultural reference points and narratives.
With more than 320 stunningly iconic images and personal reflections from Virgil’s inner circle, including Nigo, Naomi Campbell, Luka Sabbat, Kendall Jenner and Kid Cudi, the book is the definitive chronicle and exploration of a partnership that redefined not only dress codes but their very vocabulary.
