A look at the life of Virgil Abloh, the man The New York Times called the 'Karl Lagerfeld for millennials,' but who should probably best be known as the first Virgil Abloh

New York Times Fashion Director Vanessa Friedman posed a question in late February that set high-fashion Twitter aflame: " Is Virgil Abloh the Karl Lagerfeld for Millennials ? "
The question was a surprise to readers who thought the comparison might be a negative thing, including Abloh, who responded on Twitter by saying he would "do an academic lecture about this article one day."
In case you hadn't heard, Virgil Abloh is one of modern fashion's most popular designers, known for being Louis Vuitton's menswear artistic director, for his own brand separate from Louis Vuitton, Off-White , and for his efforts revolutionizing luxury streetwear.
As his largely unprecedented career has shown, perhaps he isn't the next Karl Lagerfeld, but the first Virgil Abloh.
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Only shortly before Virgil Abloh was to present Off-White's fall-winter collection at Paris Fashion Week, New York Times Fashion Director and Chief Fashion Critic Vanessa Friedman posed a question heard around the high-fashion universe: " Is Virgil Abloh the Karl Lagerfeld for Millennials ? "

On its face, the question was a compliment, since Lagerfeld is one of the most renowned fashion designers in history. He was head of Fendi for 54 years, at Chanel for 26 years, and at his eponymous brand for 25 years. Though he had controversies, he was no doubt a product of his time. He had reach, impact, controversies , and influence. In fact, Friedman cited Abloh's current influence in comparing the two figures.

On paper, of course, it's quite odd to compare Lagerfeld to Abloh even Friedman said so herself.

Lagerfeld was a white German man who moved to Paris as a teenager, worked at some of the most notable and historic French houses Balmain, Patou before he started his career at Chlo. Abloh, on the other hand , is a black American who grew up just outside of Chicago. The child of Ghanaian immigrants, he received a bachelor's in engineering, a master's in architecture, and opened his own line in 2013. His only formal fashion training was a 6-month internship at Fendi in 2009. He is known for his dark glasses, sleek white pony tail, and fingerless gloves.

Although Abloh's career follows in Lagerfeld's footsteps in how much it features collaborations between brands , Abloh's accomplishments are unprecedented in multiple respects. As Business Insider previously reported , Louis Vuitton named Abloh its artistic director for menswear in 2018. This made him one of the few black people to ever lead a top fashion house, and the first black American to lead a French one.

Aside from Louis Vuitton, Abloh's own line, Off-White , has established a reputable name for itself, and it has launched collaborations with partners such as Nike , Ikea , and even McDonald's . Perhaps his most famous collaboration is his long-running association with Kanye West .

On the runway, Abloh is regarded as one of the pioneers of high-end street fashion, or what he has called the " post-streetwear movement ," with roots in the classic streetwear that originated in hip-hop and skating culture . When the lines between luxury and streetwear were torn down, Abloh's influence was everywhere, from Balenciaga selling puffer jackets to Dior collaborating with Nike on limited edition Air Jordans to Louis Vuitton partnering with Supreme to Gucci working with legendary Harlem designer Dapper Dan .

Of course, Lagerfeld is an icon in his own right, the same way Abloh can be one in his.Read on for a look at how he rose to the top.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

A look at the life of Virgil Abloh, the man The New York Times called the 'Karl Lagerfeld for millennials,' but who should probably best be known as the first Virgil Abloh

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