Virgil Abloh

A collection of essential quotations from the renowned fashion designer, DJ, and stylist Abloh-isms is a collection of essential quotations from American fashion designer, DJ, and stylist Virgil Abloh, who has established himself as a major creative figure in the worlds of pop culture and art. Abloh began his career as Kanye West’s creative director before founding the luxury streetwear label Off-White and becoming artistic director for Louis Vuitton, making Abloh the first American of African descent to hold that title at a French fashion house. Defying categorization, Abloh’s work has been the subject of solo exhibitions at museums and galleries, most notably in a major retrospective at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. Gathered from interviews and other sources, this selection of compelling and memorable quotations from the designer reveals his thoughts on a wide range of subjects, including creativity, passion, innovation, race, and what it means to be an artist of his generation. Lively and thought-provoking, these quotes reflect Abloh’s unique perspective as a trailblazer in his fields. Select quotations from the book: “I believe that coincidence is key, but coincidence is energies coming towards each other. You have to be moving to meet it.” “Life is collaboration. Where I think art can be sort of misguided is that it propagates this idea of itself as a solo love affair—one person, one idea, no one else involved.” “Black influence has created a new ecosystem, which can grow and support different types of life that we couldn’t before.” “Like it or not, irrelevance is death.”

Abloh-isms

Lauri

I stay away from words, I'm more about actions. Words are often just another box to be put in.

When I studied engineering at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, it was the humanities classes that I had put to the side that ultimately started me on this path of thinking about creativity in a much more cultural context - not designing for design's sake, but connecting design to the rhythm of what's happening in the world.

It was during my early days within architecture school that I was told than an architect should be a jack-of-all-trades. That was all I needed to hear. From that point on, I realized that I did not need to ditch my love for Wu-Tang, Green Day, Alien Workshop, and Mies van der Rohe, etc. but proceed applying them all together.

The moral of the story is beware of whatever box you're labeled as. Challenge it. Defy it. Do not be defined by it.

Only good things happen once you begin. The only failure is not to try.

Anyone who has a will to create is an artist.

Sometimes you just need to rearrange the furniture in your head.

Abloh-isms quotes

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