Off-White 101
Off-White quickly gained a massive cult following by embracing the youth culture. The brand found a middle ground between polished luxury and streetwear.
The name Off-White was meant to resemble the gray color between black and white. A metaphor for combining two opposites — high fashion and streetwear.
Virgil Abloh found a niche market that was willing to buy expensive luxury streetwear. The label’s signature marks are yellow and white diagonal lines, crossed white arrows, and yellow barricade tape.
Off-White has collaborated with countless of brands. A notable collaboration took place in 2017 when Off-White collaborated with Nike. Abloh redesigned Nike’s top-selling shoes and called it “The Ten.”
A number of celebrities have been seen wearing Off-White both on and off the red carpet. Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Kim Kardashian, A$AP Rocky, and Bella Hadid are among the celebrities who have worn the brand.
In 2018, Hailey Bieber tapped Abloh to design her wedding dress. She wanted her everyday streetwear aesthetic to be reflected on her wedding day, so Abloh made perfect sense.
"This isn’t a streetwear brand. This isn’t a contemporary brand. This is designer, just the same way that X, Y, Z are designer, where you say their name and it carries this whole esteem and emotion to it." -Virgil Abloh
Abloh passed away on November 28, 2021. Abloh’s Instagram account announced that a “rare, aggressive form of cancer, cardiac angiosarcoma” caused his death. He left behind a legacy that inspired countless young people through his passion for art, fashion, design, and creativity.