Now back in action after a three month-sabbatical, Off-White and Louis Vuitton menswear designer Virgil Abloh has created a stir with his thoughts on the future of streetwear. When asked to predict’s the category’s outlook for the next decade, he told Dazed, ” Wow. I would definitely say it’s gonna die, you know? Like, its time will be up. In my mind, how many more t-shirts can we own, how many more hoodies, how many sneakers?”
While Abloh views streetwear as approaching a peak, it’s mainly because he thinks individual expression on the rise. Abloh explained, “I think that like we’re gonna hit this like, really awesome state of expressing your knowledge and personal style with vintage. There are so many clothes that are cool that are in vintage shops and it’s just about wearing them. I think that fashion is gonna go away from buying a boxfresh something; it’ll be like, hey I’m gonna go into my archive.”
As to how Abloh feels about the embrace of streetwear’s design aesthetic by labels completely disconnected from the culture, Abloh, who self identifies as an optimist, views the glass as half full. He explained, “I always try to look at the positive side and so when I do see brands adopting a new mode of design that’s not traditional and is actually inauthentic, to me it’s validation that we ultimately changed the atmosphere of design. What I like to think is that the doors are now open to young people to work in these places, to help them do it in an authentic way.”
As for his own plans for 2020, Abloh’s calendar is already very full with plans for a Louis Vuitton and Nigo capsule as well as a new Off-White flagship location in Miami. Ever the multi-hypehate, Abloh is also about to releases a short film titled “Small Problems” starring Abby Wilson and Georgie Hobday.
