In the heart of Paris, in a space where fashion has always merged with culture, art and history, one of the most anticipated events of this year's Fashion Week opens - the exhibition “Virgil Abloh: The Codes.” Available to the public from September 30 to October 10, the exhibition is not only a fashion manifesto, but also a profound, multifaceted portrait of one of the most important visionaries of contemporary culture - Virgil Abloh.
A legacy that transcends fashion
Virgil Abloh, who died in 2021, was not only the artistic director of Louis Vuitton's men's line or the founder of the iconic Off-White brand. Above all, he was a creative revolutionary who broke conventions, redefined the boundaries between fashion and art, and brought a fresh perspective to a world dominated by tradition. His work, based on the idea of “fashion postmodernism,” combined streetwear with haute couture, DJ-ing with industrial design, graphic design with architecture.
20,000 objects - a map of the creative mind
The exhibition “Virgil Abloh: The Codes” is a monumental archiving project - the curators and collaborators of the artist have collected as many as 20,000 objects that reflect not only his career, but also his unique way of thinking and creating. Among the exhibits will be sketches, material samples, Off-White's first designs, collaborations with Nike, Louis Vuitton, Evian, IKEA or even Mercedes-Benz. The archive also includes records of his lectures, emails, notes and interactions with fans, which complete the picture of his multidisciplinary approach to art.
The exhibition is based on “codes” - a term used repeatedly by Abloh - which referred to the visual and cultural signals present in his work. These codes were tools of deconstruction and reinterpretation, a way to democratize fashion and incorporate new voices. The exhibition will thus be a kind of alphabet of his work - from A for “Architecture,” to C for “Collaboration,” to S for “Streetwear.”
Not just fashion - a social manifesto
Virgil Abloh was a strong advocate for inclusivity, representation and racial equality in the fashion industry, which for decades lacked diverse voices. The exhibition also takes a closer look at this aspect of his legacy - through social projects, educational campaigns, support for young creatives and activities for the black creative community. It's not just an exhibition of clothes and objects, but also the story of a man who changed the rules of the game.
Paris - the place where history comes full circle
It's no coincidence that the exhibition was just presented during Paris Fashion Week. It was in this city that Virgil Abloh in 2018 made his debut as the first black artistic director in the history of Louis Vuitton. His first show of the men's collection in the courtyard of the Palais Royal made history - not only as a triumph of streetwear aesthetics in luxury fashion, but also as a symbolic moment of breaking down systemic barriers.
In a way, the exhibition “The Codes” closes and opens another chapter at the same time - it commemorates its legacy and continues its dialogue with the future. This is an event not only for fashion lovers, but for anyone who believes in the transformative power of culture.
“Virgil Abloh: The Codes” is more than an exhibition - it is a space of memories, inspiration and vision. It is a place where the past, present and future of fashion meet, led by one of the most powerful voices of our time.
Photos courtesy of The Business Of Fashion
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