The news of the death of Virgil Abloh, artistic director of menswear at Louis Vuitton and founder of Off-White, sent shock waves through the fashion, art, sports, and entertainment industries Sunday. Abloh, who had been diagnosed with cardiac angiosarcoma in 2019, kept his condition private for two years. Hailed as a visionary in his lifetime, Abloh worked with countless public figures throughout his career including Kanye West, Gigi Hadid, and Drake. West dedicated a cover of Adele’s “Easy on Me†to the designer, per Billboard. His Sunday Service choir reworked the first verse into a hymn, singing, “I know your love flows like a river / And I could wash myself in it forever / I know there is hope in these waters / But I can’t bring myself to swim / When I am drowning in my sin.†West called Abloh the “creative director of Donda.â€
Celebrities, sports stars, and fashion-industry titans took to social media with remembrances of Abloh. “My heart is broken,†Pharrell wrote on Twitter. “Virgil you were a kind, generous, thoughtful creative genius.†Hadid said on Instagram, “I am heartbroken by the loss of my dear friend, and a friend to the world, Virgil Abloh. He was 1 of 1. His kindness and energetic generosity left a lasting impression on every life he touched — he made everyone feel seen and special.†Frank Ocean shared a number of memories of Abloh on his Instagram Story including that his late brother, Ryan Breaux, “loved†“and really looked up to†the designer. “My family was proud of you like you were our family,†he wrote. Along with posting a tribute to Instagram on December 1, Kid Cudi posted his final text exchange with Abloh to Twitter. “Im glad I got to tell u how I felt about u. Im happy u didnt leave here not knowing,†he added. See more tributes to Abloh below.