The tragic passing of Virgil Abloh this past week was a surprise for the entire fashion industry when it was revealed that the artistic director of Louis Vuitton was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer in 2019.
However, in true Virgil fashion, the show was destined to go on. In what was reportedly a dying wish to the designer, his Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer line for 2022 was shown to the world following his death.
Less than 48 hours after his death, 1,500 guests travelled to Miami Harbour and made their way into the Miami Marine Stadium.
The show’s aesthetic was a tribute to Abloh and his love for art and fashion, with a gigantic sculpture placed at the entrance of the show of Virgil himself dressed in Louis Vuitton from head to toe.
The phrase ‘Virgil Was Here’ was placed throughout the stadium and along the Miami Harbour, ‘“FOREVER” September 30, 1980 – November 28, 2021 Virgil Abloh,’ was also seen across the city of Miami on billboards and even a barge with a digital screen.
The 18-minute show was attended by the who’s who of fashion and music, with frequent collaborator and close friend Kanye West sitting in the front row, alongside his ex-wife Kim Kardashian West, and their daughter North West. Abloh’s family were also in attendance with his wife, Shannon, and children, Lowe and Grey, sitting beside West and Kardashian.
Also seated in the front row were Rihanna, A$AP Rocky, Pharrell Williams, Joe Jonas, Ricky Martin, Venus Williams, Bella Hadid, 21 Savage and Joan Smalls.
Following the viewing of the collection, the stadium turned black and Abloh’s voice filled the dark stadium.
“Life is so short that you can’t waste even a day subscribing to what someone thinks you can do, versus knowing what you can do.”
Kid Cudi, a close friend of Abloh, performed some of Abloh’s favourite songs for the crowd in attendance, closing with Moon, a song from Kanye West’s 2021 album Donda, which is about striving to reach one’s goals.
The show closed with a lights and fireworks show, with guests moving to an After Party just before 7pm. An orchestrated drone show then took place, beginning with the formation of a paper plane. The drones then arranged into the Louis Vuitton monogram, which then turned into Abloh’s initials, V.A. The finale saw the drones spell out, ‘Virgil was here’ in bright red.
What were your thoughts on Virgil Abloh’s final show for Louis Vuitton? Let us know in the comments.
Written by Mansour Shukoor
