Lots of stuff selling! A jewellery debut! New Off-White! New LV! Here is all your Virgil news for today, as the wunderkind cements his fashion kingpin position with the success of his debut collection for Louis Vuitton — just before he launches his second collection for the French label, and as his Off-White label shows its autumn/winter 19 designs. We’re tired even thinking about it.
First up: Abloh’s spring/summer 19 collection is already outselling the massively hyped 2017 Louis Vuitton x Supreme collaboration, with WWD reporting that in the first two days of a barely advertised Tokyo pop-up sales were up 30 percent on the brand’s Supreme collection. Speaking to WWD, Louis Vuitton CEO Michael Burke — who Abloh interned for just over a decade before becoming LV’s menswear creative director — said the strong demand was down to “pure unadulterated desire” for the designs. He noted that tailored pieces sold particularly well, a hint at a move from away from streetwear’s comfy reign, which is showing signs it might be starting to slide.
Virgil likes to keep extremely busy, and so instead of luxuriating in his success, or taking a break after the his latest Off-White showing — which our man on the ground, Steve Salter, assures us is the brand’s strongest yet — he’s launching a jewellery line under his own name.
Abloh’s first offering is a paperclip necklace that the designer told WWD he’s been working on for the past three years. He described his new line as “high jewellery for all” (although the designs also include diamonds, so they are probably quite spenny all the same). If you want to, you can buy it at a pop-up store being held at at Hôtel Costes in Paris, open from 17 to 29 January.
And tomorrow you can catch sight of his latest collection for Louis Vuitton, which is set to be a celebration of the late, great Michael Jackson. Virgil shared a video on his Instagram of a white gloved hand unfurling to show a poem written by the designer — which is what he sent in real form to each guest invited to the show. Can Virgil continue his mega success with this next collection? Stay tuned, but our bets are on yes.
