Is Virgil Abloh Next for Louis Vuitton?
Rumor is the designer will replace Kim Jones as artistic director of the brand's menswear.
After Kim Jones announced his departure from Louis Vuitton yesterday, all the buzz has been about what’s next for the designer— Burberry? Versace? No hints have been dropped on his next whereabouts, but we are getting closer to the truth on his possible replacement. Rumors, and deeper readings of social posts, point toward Virgil Abloh, the man behind Off-White, who just had his show in Paris, yesterday. Abloh claims to have no clue about the rumors when asked backstage, but could these posts on Instagram suggest otherwise?
On the same day as his announcement to leave Louis Vuitton, Kim Jones posted a pair of Off-White X Air Jordan 1 sneakers, signed by Abloh himself, with the caption “Thanks Virgil, BIG LOVE.”
Tim Blanks, editor at large at Business of Fashion, also took a snapshot of Jones’ sneakers. The caption is pretty self-explanatory: "@mrkimjones @virgilabloh @louisvuitton."
Looking back on Louis Vuitton’s collaboration with Supreme last year, the brand could very well be heading into the streetwear direction. And in that case, Abloh is a perfect fit to be in line as a successor. Backstage at his Off-White show, Abloh told New York Times that Jones is a friend and mentor figure: “People think about the mix of sportswear and fashion now—he distinctly did that while a whole industry wasn’t really focused on sportswear.”
But for now, we can only wait for official statements by Louis Vuitton or Abloh himself.
