NEW YORK — Designer Virgil Abloh, a leading fashion executive hailed as the Karl Lagerfeld of his generation, has died after a private battle with cancer. He was 41.
Abloh’s death was announced Sunday by the luxury group LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy) and the Off White label, the brand Abloh founded. Abloha was the men’s wear designer of Louis Vuitton.
“We are all shocked after this terrible news. Virgil was not only a genius designer, a visionary, he was also a man with a beautiful soul and great wisdom,” Bernard Arnault, chairman and chief executive of LVMH said in a statement.
A statement from Abloh’s family on the designer’s Instagram account said for the last two years, Abloh battled cardiac angiosarcoma, a rare form of cancer in which a tumor occurs in the heart.
“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,” the statement read.
Abloh is survived by his wife Shannon Abloh and his children, Lowe and Grey.
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Contact us at letters@time.com.
NEW YORK — Designer Virgil Abloh, a leading fashion executive hailed as the Karl Lagerfeld of his generation, has died after a private battle with cancer. He was 41. Abloh’s death was announced Sunday by the luxury group LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy) and the Off White label, the brand Abloh founded. Abloha was the men’s wear designer of Louis Vuitton. “We are all shocked after this terrible news. Virgil was not only a genius designer, a visionary, he was also a man with a beautiful soul and great wisdom,” Bernard Arnault, chairman and chief executive of LVMH said in a statement. A statement from Abloh’s family on the designer’s Instagram account said for the last two years, Abloh battled cardiac angiosarcoma, a rare form of cancer in which a tumor occurs in the heart. “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,” the statement read. Abloh is survived by his wife Shannon Abloh and his children, Lowe and Grey. More Must-Read Stories From TIME TIME’s Top 100 Photos of 2021 Inside Frances Haugen’s Decision to Take on Facebook Why We Should Stop Freaking Out About Inflation Austria’s Plan to Make COVID-19 Vaccines Compulsory Is Dividing Citizens — and Experts Inside the 80-Year Quest to Name Pearl Harbor’s Unknown Victims Buying a House Feels Impossible These Days. Here Are 6 Innovative Paths to Homeownership ‘They’re Very Close.’ U.S. General Says Iran Is Nearly Able to Build a Nuclear Weapon A Charter School’s Racial Controversy Reveals the Real Battle For America’s Classrooms Contact us at letters@time.com.