'21st Century Karl Lagerfeld' Virgil Abloh Passes Away at 41...

▲Virgil Abloh [Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] Virgil Abloh, the founder of the world-renowned luxury brand Off-White and a men's wear designer for Louis Vuitton, passed away on the 28th (local time) at the age of 41.

According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 28th (local time), French luxury group Louis Vuitton Mo?t Hennessy (LVMH) and Off-White announced in a statement that Virgil Abloh had died.

The cause of death was cardiac angiosarcoma, a rare cancer involving a tumor growing in the heart. He was diagnosed with cardiac angiosarcoma two years ago in 2019.

Bernard Arnault, chairman of LVMH, expressed his condolences, saying, "Virgil Abloh was a genius designer and a pioneer in the fashion industry, a person with a beautiful soul and great wisdom. We are deeply shocked by his passing."

Abloh founded his fashion house Off-White in 2013. Uniquely in the fashion industry, Abloh majored in civil engineering and made a significant impact in the luxury sector with his fresh designs that broke conventional molds and his ingenious marketing techniques.

In July, he sold 60% of the trademark rights of Off-White to LVMH, a luxury group headquartered in Paris, France.

Praised as the "symbol of 21st-century creativity" and the "modern Karl Lagerfeld," Abloh passed away, leaving behind his wife Shannon and two children.