FILE PHOTO: Models present creations by designer Virgil Abloh as part of his Fall/Winter 2020/21 women’s ready-to-wear collection show for his label Off-White during Paris Fashion Week in Paris, France, February 27, 2020. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw
July 20, 2021
PARIS (Reuters) -French luxury group LVMH said on Tuesday it will buy a 60% stake in its star menswear designer Virgil Abloh’s Off-White steetwear label and expand his role within the spirits-to-jewellery conglomerate.
Abloh will retain a 40% stake and continue as creative director of Off-White, a streetwear label which the U.S. designer and DJ founded in 2013, the company said in a statement. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Abloh, 40, was hired to create menswear collections for Louis Vuitton, LVMH’s biggest revenue driver, in March 2018 as the group sought to breathe new life into some labels and attract younger customers.
He will continue in that role while also working with the group “to launch new brands and partner with existing ones in a variety of sectors beyond the realm of fashion,” the statement said.
Abloh has already collaborated with LVMH-owned Rimowa on a line of see-through suitcases, and introduced popular partnerships with brands such as Nike and Ikea.
The highest profile black designer in fashion, he said LVMH would help him develop Off-White into a “truly multi-line luxury brand” while he hoped his expanded role at the French giant would also help foster diversity in the industry.
The Off-White brand is known for its luxury urban style, featuring hoodies that start at 400 pounds ($570), at a time when some high-end brands are adopting streetwear looks to attract younger shoppers.
The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to be completed within the next 60 days.
(Reporting by Dominique Vidalon and Silvia Aloisi; editing by Jason Neely)
Source: One America News Network
