Virgil Abloh The Codes; Collaboration, Community And Storytelling

Portrait of Virgil Abloh by Alessio Segala

VAS / Alessio Segala

Virgil Abloh Securities (VAS), the creative organisation dedicated to perpetuating the late artist’s legacy, has unveiled Virgil Abloh: The Codes and Virgil Abloh: World’s Fair, “a multidisciplinary celebration of culture, ideas and innovation through the perspective of Virgil Abloh.”

The program begins with Virgil Abloh: The Codes exhibition at Paris’ Grand Palais. Running through October 9, the show in partnership with Nike, explores Abloh’s multidisciplinary oeuvre via some 700 pieces from his 20,000 strong archive and taking in apparel, footwear, design objects, architecture, music and advertising.

Alongside footwear created with Nike, pieces from his tenureship as Artistic Director of Louis Vuitton Men’s and, of course, from his own label Off-White, are the products of myriad collaborations with a vast range of brands including Apple, Evian, IKEA, Moët & Chandon, Palace, Rimowa, Supreme, Wild & The Moon and many more. In addition to the physical pieces comes a series of public programming features screenings and conversations, DJ sets and design workshops.

With roots in the 19th century, World’s Fairs were exhibitions celebrating national achievements—two of the most famous being the 1889 Paris Exhibition—piece de résistance being the Eiffel Tower—and Chicago in 1893 which introduced the Ferris Wheel.

Speaking at a preview in Paris, Shannon Abloh, Virgil’s life and business partner, now CEO and managing director of Virgil Abloh Securities, described the initiative as “beautifully bringing together Virgil’s creative community… an invitation to the world to engage with and build upon his ideas.”

“Virgil fluently worked across music, fashion, advertising and design,” she said. “He was a researcher and avid collector, as enthusiastic about art and arch as he was about skating and DJing. His practice embodied all his passions from high to low.”

“Codes and World’s Fair are a reflection of our commitment to accessibility and aim to capture Virgil’s collaborative spirit.”

Another of those collaborators, Colette, the iconic Paris concept store co-founded by Sarah Andelman, was also present. Colette closed its doors in 2017 evolving into Andelman’s creative agency Just an Idea. It popped up again here as an installation-cum-gift-shop selling co-branded ‘merch’ such as apparel, skateboard decks and reissues of Abloh’s alarm clock collaboration with Braun alongside more accessibly priced items like cigarette lighters, pens, water bottles and the famous Air de Colette scented candles.

While Abloh didn’t invent the notion of collaboration he certainly scaled it, using it as a vehicle for storytelling and to build community. “Virgil was one of the first to to consider fashion as a community,” Andelman told me.

“I think that brands nowadays, are tired of ‘one more bag, one more T-shirt.’ They need to be meaningful, they need to tell a story and I see that as the answer.” The legacy of Virgil Abloh resonates now more than ever.