Virgil Abloh: Free Game
Virgil Abloh was an American designer and artist, perhaps most famously known for founding the brand Off-White. In 2018, he became the creative director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear, making him the first African-American to be appointed artistic director at a French luxury fashion house. After his tragic death in 2021, his legacy as a fashion pioneer continues to thrive, extending beyond his design work.
Abloh founded the website Free Game, which he launched to teach others about the fashion industry and how to break into it. It features a series of video resources that address questions Ablo claims he was frequently asked, such as how to obtain a trademark and how to shoot a lookbook. The website has collected a variety of videos from different creators, bringing them together in one place to help creatives just starting out.
Free Game helps address the frequent problems of exclusivity and opacity in the fashion industry, a notoriously difficult industry to enter due to its lack of openness and information.
Virgin Abloh himself had a non-traditional path into his career, starting as a civil engineer and gaining a master's degree in Architecture. During his master's, he was introduced to a curriculum developed by Mies van der Rohe, which focused on combining art, craft, and design, sparking Abloh's journey into his creative career through an interdisciplinary approach.
His website, now kept online in his honour, reflects his non-traditional journey into the industry, providing opportunities for those who would otherwise be unable to gain access to the fashion world or develop their professional careers. By providing a toolkit of tutorials and information, Abloh’s legacy makes it possible for upcoming designers and creators to make a name for themselves and learn the skills necessary to develop a career, which would otherwise have been inaccessible to them.
On the website, Abloh has written that his initiative is “to see design, art, and culture more inclusive to young black designers and those coming from non-traditional backgrounds”, demonstrating his legacy not only as a designer but as a leader, opening the doors for young people to follow him. He has provided tools for such designers to take ownership of their careers, develop professionally, and educate themselves about the industry. The videos that are featured on the website are completely free to access, again emphasising his philosophy of opportunity for those who seek to learn and grow.
Alongside his website, Abloh established the ‘Post-Modern’ Scholarship Fund in 2020, expanding opportunities in the fashion industry by providing scholarships for Black or African American students. Not only did he provide financial support for such students, but he also enabled ongoing career support and mentoring through the scholarship, solidifying his legacy in the fashion world by ensuring the next generation of talent would be supported and promoted. This foundation is ongoing, having awarded 160 scholarships to date. A strategic plan has been developed for proceedings until 2027, focusing on career barriers for scholars.
Virgil Abloh’s legacy remains inspirational not just for his creativity and innovative design but also for his determination to share his success and open up the industry to those who wish to follow in his footsteps.
Written by @freyadunlop
Copyedited by Shaunamay Martin Bohan ( @f4wnfatale)
