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Fashion May 5, 2019
By Snobette
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Fashion

Virgil Abloh Responds To Off-White Diversity Criticism

virgil-abloh

May 5, 2019. Leave a Comment

Off-White Virgil Abloh has responded to social media criticism that his Off-White design team lacks diversity. The issue surfaced when Abloh posted Instagram Stories images from a work-related party at the brand’s headquarters in Milan.

Abloh founded Off-White in 2013 after shuttering his New York-based label Pyrex Vision. In March 2018, he was announced as the artistic director of Louis Vuitton and is the first black person at LVMH to hold a lead creative role. Prior to launching his label he was a creative director at Donda, Kanye West’s creative agency.

Abloh sent out two press statements. The first one reads: “When questioned about diversity, Virgil Abloh takes pride in being African and American. His design team is diverse, and his practice has been built on making the art and design industry an inclusive community. Fellow designers like Samuel Ross, Heron Preston, No Vacancy Inn by Tremaine Emory and Acyde Odunlami, Everard Best, photographer Fabien Montique, amongst many others have been given a platform via Off-White ™. These are just a few of the many global voices and people sitting at the table and helping evolve the brand. Off-White ™ is a black founded and owned business.

“He wishes to use this moment of being questioned to be a moment of reflection within the industry to showcase the talents behind their design entities and push to have a design community that represents the outside world.”

A second statement sent to Hypebeast reads: “My design team is diverse as the world is big. The video shown was an Off-White ™ dinner at the headquarters in the city of Milan, Italy. This party was to celebrate the hard work of the local Italian team.”

In addition to the statements, Abloh posted a series of images of black creatives he’s worked with and mentored, including Heron Preston, Samuel Ross (who was once his assistant), Tremaine Emory, Playboi Carti, Serena Williams, Andre Walker, and Fabien Montique.

While not listed, Off-White today launched a collaborative collection with Ev Bravado, a label designed by Brooklyn-born, black designer Everard Best.

Several designers also weighed in on the controversy, including Emory, Chicago-based Joe Fresh Goods and (B)Stroy designers Brick Owens and Dieter Grams .

https://twitter.com/nabelnamso/status/1123602585099759618
https://twitter.com/oceancamo/status/1124404779277438976

You know why Sam Ross( who worked for ye, worked for v ,worked for acyde & I) wasn’t at the off white Xmas party this week? same reason I wasn’t…He was too busy walking thru the… https://t.co/eN5wOVyAfS

— DenimTears (@DenimTears) May 4, 2019

in 2016 I got a random dm from Virgil telling me he told Nike to reach out to me……..A couple days later Nike reached out to me, he did not have to do that. that co-sign changed everything for me and actually help me get the deal I have now.

— JFG (@JoeFreshgoods) May 4, 2019

Complexcon had to fly me to LA from Italy because Virgil said he wanted me and brick on his panel for the future of fashion last year https://t.co/1xncK1Y3UH

— dieter (@dietergrams) May 4, 2019

Fashion News Heron Preston Off-White Samuel Ross Serena Williams Tremaine Emory Virgil Abloh

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