Off-White And Highsnobiety’s Capsule Collection Benefits Virgil Abloh’s Scholarship Fund And Furthers The Designer’s Legacy

While the world and the fashion industry may miss Virgil Abloh in his presence, his spirit continues to live on and inspire the next generation. Since his passing in late November, the designer’s work has continued to influence both the industry and aspiring creatives. From a Mercedes-Maybach car collaboration, a Louis Vuitton bracelet to benefit UNICEF to Oscar party dresses and more, his oeuvre has proven to live on without him. The latest mark the creative multi-hyphenates work has made is a partnership with Highsnobiety and Off-White c/o Fashion Scholarship Fund capsule collection to benefit the Virgil Abloh “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund.

Comprised of signature streetwear staples, including a Varsity jacket, hoodie, and T-shirt designed by the late creative director and his studio, 100 percent of the merchandise proceeds will be donated to the fund.

The pieces were initially created in 2021 to benefit the fund. Highsnobiety worked closely with both Off-White and The Fashion Scholarship Fund to realize the collection and Abloh’s vision for it. The campaign features photographs of the inaugural Post-Modern Scholarship Fund’s class wearing the designs.

At the height of the Black Lives Matter movement in July of 2020, Abloh announced the creation of the fund in conjunction with the Fashion Scholarship Fund with the mission “to foster equity and inclusion within the fashion industry by providing scholarships to students of Black, African-American, or African descent, supporting the next generation of Black fashion industry leaders,” according to a release.

Abloh’s desire to see the candidates succeed after participating informed the name choice. Rather than just supporting them during the learning phase, the fund will help participants with career support services and mentoring after graduation through the Fashion Scholarship Fund. Over 40 “Post-Modern” scholars have received college scholarship awards. Of the 23 recipients this year, 20 of them identify as female. Two students, Naecia Dixon and Ifechi Ilozor, will receive a special honor among the 2022 Fashion Scholarship Fund recipients recognized as top honors scholars.

This years’ class is as follows: Autumn Bentley of Kent State University, Aliyah Freeman, F.I.T. New York, Chibuike Uwakwe of Harvard University, Jakarie Whitaker of Clark Atlanta University, Jade Williams of Academy of Art University, Mya Wright of Florida A&M University, Kaitlyn Gilliam of Howard University, Shanita Hunt of Indiana University, Nyanna Johnson of the University of Cincinnati, Ahmrii Johnson of Parsons School of Design, Ifechi Ilozor of Brown University, Taliyah Coles and Camille McHenry both of Marist College, Amira Linson and Latonya Presley both of the University of North Texas, Jamesether Koigbli, Kierra Lee, T’yanna Neely, and Samual Stern all of Thomas Jefferson University and Daniel Kachina, Naecia Dixon, Korin Jones, and Gianni Williams all of SCAD Atlanta.

“Virgil’s cultural legacy is one of those things that’s so big we can’t quite fathom its dimension from where we’re standing currently in history,” says Highsnobiety Editor-in-Chief Thom Bettridge who interviewed and wrote about Abloh extensively during his career. “So contributing to that legacy in this way is an enormous honor for us as a publication, as fans of his, and as chroniclers of his work. Creating new opportunities for young people was such a central part of Virgil’s ethos, and the “Post-Modern” Fund is such a powerful extension of that.”

“It is a privilege to continue Virgil’s legacy by identifying promising Black undergraduates and supporting their aspirations of succeeding in the fashion industry. Virgil made an immeasurable impact on the lives of his inaugural class of “Post-Modern” Scholars. We are grateful for the support of Highsnobiety and Off-White as we strive to perpetuate the vital work initiated by Virgil,” said Peter Arnold, Executive Director of the Fashion Scholarship Fund. The FSF is a fashion-oriented education and workforce development nonprofit in the U.S.

The Off-White X Fashion Scholarship Fund capsule will be available exclusively at Highsnobiety Shop from April 13, 2022. In addition to online sales, a single collection will be auctioned on April 11, 2022, at a gala reception in New York City hosted by the Fashion Scholarship Fund for the 2022 class of fund recipients, including those chosen for the “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund. To help ensure the funds’ longevity, Highsnobiety will campaign its deep fan-based community to make donations beyond the sales of the capsule collection.