Italian luxury streetwear brand Off-White continues to honor beloved Chicago area designer Virgil Abloh's memory.
The fashion brand teamed up with the Chicago Bulls to create a capsule collection celebrating Abloh's love of basketball and connection to the city. The collection is a collaboration between Off-White Chief Executive Officer Andrea Grilli, streetwear designer and Bulls creative strategy and design adviser Don C, and Abloh’s family.
The Bulls shared a photo of their players sporting Off-White jackets on Twitter Wednesday, along with the caption, "A legendary collaboration. Off-White™ c/o Chicago Bulls x Just Don."
The collection offers four limited-edition items, including a hoodie, T-shirt and two varsity jackets. The unique pieces all display a bull wearing an Off-White jersey and the words "Off-White Bulls."
They will be available starting Feb. 2 at select Off-White stores and on the brand’s website. The collection can also be found on Farfetch Beat, a concept retail series from online retailer Farfetch that offers exclusive products.
Who Is Virgil Abloh?
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Abloh, who passed away in 2021 after a two-year battle with cardiac angiosarcoma, founded Off-White in 2012. He also served as the artistic director of Louis Vuitton menswear line.
Born to Ghanaian immigrant parents, Abloh was raised in Rockford, Illinois. After getting his master's degree in architecture from the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) in Chicago, he pursued a career in fashion.
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While interning at Fendi in 2009, he met Kanye West and the two developed a collaborative relationship. He went on to open a contemporary fashion and streetwear boutique in Chicago called RSVP Gallery with Don C.
From there, his career in fashion took off. Abloh was regarded as a trailblazer in the industry, bridging the gap between streetwear and luxury fashion. He was listed as one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in 2018.
The designer regularly paid homage to his hometown in his creative and business endeavors, and it appears that his brand plans to continue that tradition.
