Virgil Abloh's Final Collection with Off-White at Paris Fashion Week

The fashion industry and the world as a whole suffered a great loss with the sudden death of Virgil Abloh in November of 2021. He paved the way for street style to make a name for itself in the high fashion world, making his company Off-White a household name. Abloh was also the Artistic Director for Louis Vuitton from 2011 until he tragically passed away. With his innovative designs and advocacy for uplifting Black creatives, he touched the lives of many.

As our Fashion Editor, Ian Grafvonluxburg, puts it, “his art knew no bounds and the legacy that he will leave behind was only beginning to take shape.” Abloh’s final collection with Off-White hit the runway at Paris Fashion Week this past Monday. This immersive collection was titled “Spaceship Earth” by the late Abloh.

His intention for this collection was to make it an “imaginary experience,” as Vogue mentions. Abloh was a visionary, and this collection is no exception. Before his death, he created this masterpiece, which also happens to be Off-White’s first haute couture collection. Abloh was not afraid to push boundaries and that is what made him and his designs so impactful. “Spaceship Earth” is just the start of the late designer’s legacy, and it is a beautiful thing to watch unfold.

There are many different layers to Virgil Abloh’s final collection with Off-White, so let’s break it down together.

symbolism

One thing that Abloh did exceptionally well is create meaningful collections, his designs are truly pieces of art. He embraced hip hop culture through his innovative streetwear designs—and “Spaceship Earth” was no exception.

Lots of the pieces that came down the runway were symbolic of rap culture. Vogue mentions that a few of his designs from “Spaceship Earth” are “a reference to the slogan merch created by the hip-hop collective Dipset in the ’90s, and a nod to a pop-cultural and political sentiment Virgil often heard during upbringing: ‘F*** the Police.’”

Though many of the designs throughout the collection had these hidden messages, the most prominent ones were “The Icon” and the wedding dress and chunky sneakers model Bella Hadid wore down the runway (pictured below). In his final collection with the brand, his vision of combining streetwear and high fashion was as present as ever.

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Source: Vogue Runway

iconic models

Off-White’s AW’22 show was star-studded—to say the least. Iconic models such as Bella Hadid, Gigi Hadid, Kendall Jenner, Karlie Kloss, Naomi Campbell, and Kaia Gerber alongside her mother and the OG supermodel Cindy Crawford, strutted down the runway during “Spaceship Earth.”

Professional tennis player Serena Williams also walked the runway for Off-White, paying tribute to the late Virgil Abloh. All of these captivating models and close friends of Abloh further enhanced this “imaginary experience.”

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Source: Vogue Runway

the collection

This futuristic collection featured 84 different looks. This immersive show began with Abloh’s ready-to-wear collection and eventually shifts into his haute couture debut. Vogue points out, “If fashion was traditionally structured as a pyramid where haute couture was the apex that filtered into ready-to-wear trends, which then eventually hit the streets, Virgil turned that pyramid upside-down.”

With over 80 looks featuring both men’s and womenswear, the collection’s range of color, texture, and silhouette was vast. For the majority of the AW collection, the color palette remains in blacks, browns, mustard yellow, and blues with the occasional pop of red and purple.

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Source: Vogue Runway

Abloh played with numerous fabrics from sequins to velvet and faux fur. The silhouettes were a delicious combination of structured streetwear garments like blazers and cargo pants and voluminous couture gowns and skirts.

Accessories also played a major part in “Spaceship Earth” as the models were seen walking with large top hats, high-heeled purses, and even phones. Abloh truly created an experience with this lively collection. With the future in mind, he was not afraid to push streetwear into the high fashion world even more by making it haute couture.

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Source: Vogue Runway

tribute to virgil ABloh

“Spaceship Earth” was the perfect homage to Virgil Abloh. Many of the models were seen carrying flags that featured his iconic quote “Question Everything.” This collection is celebratory of his legacy and his visions that will change the fashion industry for years to come.

Virgil Abloh’s last collection with Off-White might be one of the most groundbreaking ones in his career. His innovation will continue to inspire the world, on and off the runway, for generations to come. “Spaceship Earth” was truly an “imaginary experience,” just as the late Abloh intended. We are excited to see how Off-White continues to keep Virgil Abloh’s legacy alive by combining streetwear and haute couture.

How do you feel about the collection? Leave a comment below.