Virgil Abloh: leader by example

Abloh was more than a disruptor of the world of fashion

On the last night of November, the words ‘Virgil was here’ were scrawled across the Miami sky in drone lights as a thousand people raised their eyes to remember and salute a designer whose contribution to fashion went far beyond, well, fashion and firmly into the realm of culture. Louis Vuitton showed Virgil Abloh’s Spring-Summer 2022 menswear collection to both the fashion community and the Virgil community — encompassing art, music, the whole darn internet — gathered together one last time for the man they loved.

I am far more affected by Abloh’s passing than I really should be, given that I have no strong personal connection to him, his designs, or indeed the brands he helmed. Perhaps it is because his great power, and what Abloh ultimately stood for, was possibility. He opened doors that have been sealed shut for as long as any of us can remember. He built a path for Black kids like him with big dreams and endless ambition, and showed them that it could be done.