On Sunday, the world was shocked to learn that designer and DJ Virgil Ablohpassed away at the age of 41. His death came after a private battle with cardiac angiosarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer. A post that was shared on Abloh’s Instagram page said this: “He chose to endure his battle privately since his diagnosis in 2019, undergoing numerous challenging treatments, all while helming several significant institutions that span fashion, art, and culture.” His death inspired many to share their condolences on social media, the latest being Kid Cudi who wrote a lengthy message honoring Abloh on Instagram.
Kid Cudi performing “Moon” at Virgil Abloh’s final Louis Vuitton show last night. pic.twitter.com/EMV0a2XQ7c
“It’s taken me a few days to make this post,” Cudi wrote with a carousel of images featuring him and Abloh. “Tryna find the right words. Virgil was the kindest most warmest soul I’ve ever met. He was a true visionary, genius, disrupter, epic DJ and artist, but he was also just truly a beautiful human.” He continued:
I’ve never known anyone quite like him. And I know i never will. Once in a lifetime. Virgil, I thank u for being a true friend and always makin me feel special when u sent a text, made time for me to hang or sent some shoes w my name on them. I love you endlessly. Til we meet again my friend. I hope u see what you’ve done. You changed the world forever. You did that. I love you Virgil. Goodbye my friend. Your brother, Rager.
Cudi was also one of many artists who appeared at Abloh’s final Louis Vuitton fashion show on Tuesday night. He also performed “Moon,” he and Ye’s collaboration with Don Toliver from Donda.
When it dropped in 2018, Tierra Whack’s Whack World took hip-hop by storm. Who was this unknown twenty-something rapper out of Philadelphia presenting this flawlessly produced 15 minute album of 15 one-minute songs with 15 separate unique visuals? It was jaw-dropping stuff and Whack has rightfully soared ever since, her voice gracing collaborations with her hometown Philadelphia 76ers, a powerful Janelle Monáe track, even the Madden 22 soundtrack. There have been a lot of singles released in the past few years, but no official album release since Whack World. Until now.
Announced today, Rap? is an EP from Whack, and she has announced a few shows surrounding the release as well. She’ll be in Brooklyn on the day of the release, December 2nd, and in Los Angeles on December 10th. There’s a third date whose location has yet to be announced, but a hometown show in Philadelphia would make sense.
Whack has also announced her first ever fashion collaboration, with an official Vans sneaker and apparel line — an ’80s style collection that Whack and her stylist Shirley Kurata have helped design. All of the pieces will feature the mantra “Weird Hype And Creative Kids” (as in “WHACK”).
The legendary designer Virgil Abloh passed away over the weekend at the far-too-young age of 41, ending a private battle with a rare and aggressive form of cancer. Abloh’s mark on streetwear and modern fashion is undeniable and will be forever felt, but before he solidified himself as certified streetwear royalty, long before he landed the job as the artistic director of Louis Vuitton menswear, before Off-White, and the global DJ Sets, he was just a kid sketching shoes in his spare time.
That’s important to remember. Abloh wasn’t born into the house of Gucci. He had an ambition that truly knew no bounds and a vision that could not be denied. He took those early sneaker sketches and sent them to Nike. Nothing came of them but that didn’t slow him down for even a beat. By 2017, after a brief stint in architecture, an internship in Rome at Fendi, and the successful launch of his own label, Abloh’s swoosh dreams became a reality when he designed, “The Ten,” a collection that would go down in history as the greatest sneaker collaboration of all time.
That’s not hyperbole, ask any sneakerhead, they’ll tell you: nothing beats The Ten. Abloh would follow up that historic run by producing a fleet of fifty Nike Dunks a few years later. His was truly an insatiable spirit for creation.
Many publications make note of Abloh’s time studying architecture like it’s some sort of footnote in his career, but the truth is Abloh never stopped being an architect. Through his design work — which, in addition to sneakers, included album covers, commissioned art pieces, and more — he always treated whatever he was approaching as more than an object, everything, even a water bottle, was a monument. You and I look at a Jordan 1 and see a sneaker, Abloh saw a skyscraper of possibilities. Abloh’s best design moments catch your eye, spark conversations, and create trends. It’s a trifecta that even the most well-respected designers (besides Abloh’s friend and collaborator Ye) can’t lay claim to.
“What we’re talking about here is larger than sneakers, it’s larger than design culture… It’s nothing short of state-of-the-art design,” Abloh said when he first debuted “The Ten.” “To me, they are on the same level as a sculpture of David or the Mona Lisa. You can debate it all you want, but they mean something. And that’s what’s important.”
Ultimately, Abloh’s greatest contribution to the world of streetwear wasn’t a specific sneaker, or a brand, or any single collaboration. It was his unmatched ability to recognize and what sneakerheads all around the world know inside their bones: that a pair of fire Jordans aren’t just shoes, they’re modern-day canvases. A piece of wearable contemporary art to be collected, coveted, cared for, loved, and inspired by.
To celebrate Abloh’s vision and philosophy, we’ve collected the late designer’s 30 best contributions to the world of sneakers. This isn’t a ranking. Instead, we’ve presented the sneakers here as the truly astounding body of work that they always will be, even as Abloh has left a generation of designers to forge their own path without his guiding hand. His influence will always be felt, like the great masters before him that he revered but never hesitated to push past. Abloh viewed sneakers like they were the Mona Lisa, and we’ll always remember him like he was our Da Vinci.
Off-White Nike Air Max 90 ‘The Ten,’ 2017
Nike
We’re kicking the list off with Abloh’s take on the Air Max 90. The Ten dropped in two sets of five, dubbed “Revealing” and “Ghosting” with the Air Max 90 leading the pack and exceeding expectations. With this design, Abloh deemphasized Tinker Hatfield’s original look, breaking the sneaker down to its silhouette and paneling with a few minimalist accents that help the design feel fresh.
With a pristine white leather upper, an oversized white Swoosh, and grey suede overlays atop an icy blue midsole, and yes, zip ties, The Ten’s Air Max 90 almost looks like it should be in a museum.
Off-White Nike Air Presto ‘The Ten,’ 2017
The Ten
You’ll find The Ten’s Air Presto topping a lot of lists chronicling Abloh’s greatest designs and for good reason. For the Air Presto, Abloh once again broke down the sneaker to its skeleton, stripping away the sleek layers of the original design for a lightweight mesh upper with a bone-like lace cage. Even four years later, they just look so damn cool. By 2021s standards, the idea of deconstruction in sneakers has been done to death, but at the time of its release, this kick was truly revolutionary.
Off-White Nike Air VaporMax ‘The Ten,’ 2017
The Ten
Off-White has dropped two other Nike Air VaporMax sneakers since the original black pair from The Ten, but nothing matches these. This is simply one of the best VaporMax colorways and designs of all time.
Abloh’s VaporMax features a Flyknit upper with a bright white oversized swoosh stitched on, atop a blacked-out VaporMax sole that gives off heavy Darth Vader vibes. Abloh is a Star Wars head, so we’re almost certain that’s what this big (very cool) nerd was going for.
Off-White Nike Air Jordan 1 ‘The Ten’ 2017
The Ten
C’mon, you knew you were going to come across this pair. It’s easily the most recognizable sneaker Virgil Abloh has ever designed. This is the shoe that Abloh-haters use to discredit his craft and that’s probably because it includes every cringey Abloh trademark, from the “Air” quotation marks, the visible stitching on the swoosh, the Beaverton, Oregon production stamp. Ugh, right?
It isn’t even an original colorway, borrowing the original “Chicago” makeup, which is legendary unto itself. Does this dude even actually design anything? But look closer and you’ll see that this is how Abloh infuses the spirit of hip-hop into his design work, and why it catches hold with heads worldwide. Abloh is sampling a piece of sneaker history and recontextualizing it for a modern sensibility. Is Drake’s “Nice for What” any less of a great song because it owes a debt to Lauryn Hill’s “Ex-Factor” which itself sampled “Can It Be All So Simple” by the Wu-Tang Clan, which draws from “The Way We Were/Try To Remember” by Gladys Knight & The Pips?
Nope — that’s what art does. Borrows, remixes, and makes the old new again. That’s where Abloh excelled.
Off-White Nike Blazer ‘The Ten,’ 2017
Nike
We have Virgil Abloh to thank for breathing new life into Nike’s Blazer sneaker which, prior to 2017, was a seriously overlooked shoe. Nowadays, even Nike is showing the Blazer constant love, releasing vintage colorways on a yearly basis. For The Ten’s Blazer, the upper is dressed in white leather with a descending swoosh that dives into an off-white midsole. The inner side of the sneaker features the Beaverton, Oregon production stamp, which is a call back to where the original design was crafted.
Off-White Nike Air Force 1 ‘The Ten,’ 2017
Nike
While Abloh’s “Revealing” set from The Ten shed away layers to reveal the inner workings of these iconic silhouettes, for his “Ghosting” set, Abloh opened a window, dressing each sneaker in a translucent upper, another trend that has become pervasive since the designer popularized it.
Abloh’s Air Force 1 is probably the most extreme design out of the “Ghosting” collection, it’s so broken down that it almost looks like it’s still midway through production. If you don’t like deconstructed sneakers, you probably won’t like these, though it’s pretty hard to mess up the Air Force 1.
Off-White Nike Hyperdunk ‘The Ten,’ 2017
Nike
The Ten’s Hyperdunk was a way for Abloh to prove that he wasn’t just about style over substance. Through and through, this Hyperdunk is a court-performance sneaker, despite its high-fashion appearance. A breathable FlyKnit upper keeps players light on their feet, with an added midfoot strap for extra support atop a bouncy React midsole. The hype for The Ten was so great that you’d have to be insane to actually wear these on the court, but we like to spend some time imagining what that might look like every time we see them.
Off-White Nike Zoom Fly ‘The Ten,’ 2018
Nike
This pair truly comes alive with your sock game, making the Zoom Fly one of the most visually varied sneakers Off-White and Nike have ever made, and giving it a slight edge over the Tulip Pink — which are a little harder to rock.
Off-White Nike Air Max 97 ‘The Ten,’ 2017
Nike
Virgil Abloh’s Air Max 97 is pretty interesting in that its design changes the way you normally see the Air Max 97. Usually known for its aerodynamic waves, Abloh instead obscures those eye-leading lines beneath a translucent upper, with a large, long swoosh in place of the sneaker’s usual tiny swoosh — which works to highlight the sneaker’s aerodynamic shape.
This very minor change really manages to give the Air Max 97 a totally unique look within its own history. It’s proof that small changes can equal out to really radical results.
Off-White Chuck 70, The Ten 2017
Nike
Released as the final piece of “The Ten,” Abloh’s take on the legendary Chuck Taylor All-Star sees the designer take on yet another legendary design. But unlike the AJ-1, which leaned on the sneaker’s heritage by utilizing one of its most recognizable colorways, this take on the Chuck 70 ignores the past and attempts to contextualize the sneaker for the modern age.
Gone are all the recognizable markers of the Chuck 70, that iconic star label is obfuscated under a ghostly translucent upper, the familiar color patterns are replaced with a monochromatic design, that signature toe cap is rendered icy and cold. This release sees Abloh paying tribute to the foundation of this great sneaker, no doubt a call back to his days in architecture.
Off-White Nike Air Force 1 ComplexCon, 2017
StockX
We’re finally out of The Ten territory with this ComplexCon exclusive. If The Ten’s AF-1 was a little too stripped back for your liking, Abloh released a design that played things pretty close to the original with his second Air Force 1. Featuring a clean all-white leather upper, the ComplexCon sneaker sports a metallic swoosh with exposed stitching, and orange branding tags on the exposed foam tongue and Nike check.
In terms of moving the AF-1 forward, this sneaker doesn’t do too much to change the game — but it’s quite the sight regardless. Unfortunately, giving this sneaker’s exclusive status, there aren’t many pairs out there floating around.
Off-White Air Jordan 1 White, 2018
StockX
It won’t come as a surprise to find out that the second Off-White Jordan 1 was actually Abloh’s original idea for the sneaker’s entry in The Ten, as its all-white upper with off-white overlays looks a lot more visually consistent with the rest of the collection. But then, it’s hard to blame Abloh for taking a crack at the OG Chicago colorway.
It might be a controversial opinion, but we dig these over the original pair from The Ten. Easily. That pop of orange just works.
Off White Nike Air Jordan 1 UNC, 2018
StockX
Naturally, you’re going to find a lot of Air Jordan 1s on this list and while we tried to avoid too many doubles, Abloh has a particular talent for understanding what makes the Air Jordan 1 so great. Featuring a powder blue paneled upper with white accents and contrasting orange stitching, the UNC continues Abloh’s practice of taking the absolute best
Air Jordan 1 colorways — in this case, the Michael Jordan University of North Carolina Blue — and giving them a modern revamp.
Off-White x MoMa x Nike Air Force 1, 2018
Nike
We don’t know why Virgil Abloh insists on making his Air Force 1s — probably one of Nike’s most popular silhouettes — the most exclusive Off-White and Nike link up, but with the instant sell-out of the AF-1 from The Ten, the hard to find ComplexCon exclusive, and this three-way collaboration between Nike, Off-White, and the Museum of Modern Art, AF-1s designed by Abloh is a rare find.
This 2018 release is essentially identical to the ComplexCon exclusive, only this time it’s dressed in black.
Off-White Nike Air Presto White, 2018
Nike
The dominant color palette of The Ten was white, which made the black upper Air Presto a standout amongst the collection. But plenty of people in the sneaker world wished the Presto adopted the same translucent colorway enjoyed by the rest of The Ten. Those people had their wish granted in 2018 when Abloh finally dropped a white iteration of the Presto.
With gentle accents of orange and red, the white Presto presents the design in a cleaner futuristic light than the more worn and gritty Presto found in The Ten.
Off-White Nike Blazer Hallow’s Eve, 2018
Nike
Released for the Halloween season, Abloh’s All Hallow’s Eve colorway feels more targeted toward Thanksgiving than All Hallows Eve itself, but we’ll try not to get too hung up on that fact. Featuring an orange-toned tan upper with a deep-diving wrap-around pumpkin swoosh, the Blazer All Hallow’s Eve is the best Nike Blazer Off-White has ever put out.
If this didn’t have the teal swoosh tag and the “Shoelaces” text, you might even be able to fool a staunch Abloh hater into admitting that these are pretty dope.
Off-White Nike Blazer Grim Reaper, 2018
Goat/Nike
See, now this sneaker should’ve been given the “All Hallow’s Eve” name! Oh well, the Grim Reaper differs from the other Nike Blazer Off-White silhouettes in its use of a translucent black panel along the upper coupled with a bright white wrap-around swoosh.
It’s hard to not love this sleek pair, though it does feel like a step down in general creativity from the All Hallow’s Eve.
Off-White Nike Air Max 97 Serena. 2018
Nike
Ahead of Serena Williams’s opening match at the 2018 US open, Abloh dropped a few silhouettes that bear the tennis legend’s name — the best of which was the Air Max 97 Serena. Ditching the translucent sheath obscuring the 97’s wavy lines, the Serena features a soft pink-toned upper with a pink, purple, and gold gradient midsole, a yellow tab, and an oversized swoosh.
Off-White Nike Blazer Serena Queen, 2018
GOAT
There are a lot of great Off-White Nike Blazers, they’ve pretty much all made the list, but none feel more underrated than this pair designed with tennis legend Serena Williams in mind. Featuring a hot pink to platinum midsole with an oversized wraparound Swoosh over a wolf grey upper, the Serena Queen Blazer looks like a sneaker that exists with its own permanent blacklight hovering over it.
Off-White Nike Air Force 1 MCA, 2019
Nike
It’s pretty clear that while Abloh might’ve had a knack for producing fire colorways of the Air Jordan 1, it’s the AF-1 that he truly considered a masterpiece. Why else would he drop another exclusive fine art Air Force 1 with the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art? This pair is dressed in a beautiful University Blue all leather upper with a metallic silver swoosh.
These are so beautiful that a part of us absolutely hates the idea of someone wearing them.
Off-White Nike Air Max 90 Desert Ore, 2019
StockX
The Off-White Air Max 90 Desert Ores represent a transition in design styles for Abloh, featuring touchstones from his work immediately proceeding The Ten to the more modern Off-White Nikes we see today.
Featuring a dark beige upper with a bright mango swoosh, the Desert Ores look a bit like what we imagine a Yeezy and Off-White link up might look like — thanks to its dusty earthy appearance.
Off-White Nike Dunk Low Pine Green, 2019
Nike
Before Abloh would go on to release a 50 sneaker collection consisting solely of the low-top Nike Dunk, he was prepping himself for that ambitious project in 2019 by dropping this Pine Green take on the design. Featuring a radical inclusion to the original design by way of a zig-zagging lacing system, this design laid the groundwork for Abloh’s most ambitious Nike project.
Off-White Nike Dunk Low University Red, 2019
Nike
Released alongside the Pine Green colorway, this University Red edition was made in tribute to Nike original 1985 College Colors program which introduced the world to seven different, but legendary, Nike Dunk colorways. It’s an improvement over the Pine Green, that Wolf Grey causes such an eye-catching contrast to the bright red panels and laces.
Off-White Nike Air Jordan V Muslin, 2020
Nike
It’s a little hard to believe there aren’t more Air Jordan Vs by Abloh. An often overlooked sneaker in the Jordan brand line, the V Muslins represented a new aesthetic era for the designer. Sure, he was still using translucent textiles and breaking the sneakers down to their rough interiors, but now he was doing it in a much more refined way. While it doesn’t feel as groundbreaking as anything from The Ten, we appreciated Abloh’s commitment to always pushing his designs forward and not just cashing in on the trends he made popular.
Off-White Nike Air Jordan IV Sail, 2020
Nike
Released as a women’s size exclusive — much to the dismay of big-footed sneakerheads — this Air Jordan 4 features a full-grain leather and grid mesh upper, with clear textiles, air cushioning, exposed foam, and a totally monochromatic makeup.
These sneakers were an instant sell-out and are currently fetching prices well above $1000 on the aftermarket, making them the most beloved Off-White Nike’s since The Ten era. In a dark year, they were a bright reminder that even three years into their extended collaboration, Off-White and Nike were a natural matchup.
Off-White Air Jordan V Sail, 2020
GOAT
For Abloh’s second AJ-V colorway, he adopted a colorway that paid homage to the legendary Fire Red Jordan V while retaining his translucent additions to the design. Featuring a sail textile mesh upper with 3M reflective details and a translucent outsole the Off-White Jordan V Sail is equal parts traditional and futuristic, which feels more like a trademark of Abloh’s overall design than superficial details like Helvetica branding and zip-ties.
Off-White Nike Air Force 1 Lemonade 2021
Nike
Debuted at the pre-game tunnel at this year’s NBA All-Star Game by LeBron James, the Lemonade sees Abloh following the template laid out by his previous Air Force 1 collaborations, this time dipping the sneaker in an impossible to ignore mustard yellow colorway.
Rounding out the design is a silver Swoosh outlined with contrasting stitching, with an exposed foam tongue, and a woven tag. Abloh always hit the AF-1 with the boldest colorway choices.
Off-White Nike Dunk Low Lot 1/50, 2021
Flight Club
This year saw Abloh embark on a journey that would serve as an official follow-up to the Ten, a fifty sneaker collection focused on a singular silhouette — the Nike Dunk. Abloh transformed the Dunk with the inclusion of Flywire laces that zig-zag across a crisp white upper with an exposed foam tongue, Helvetica branding, a metallic silver swoosh, and a yellow midsole.
It was a design inspiring enough that Abloh saw fit to reiterate on it forty-nine more times. A testament to his restless work ethic.
Off-White Nike Dunk Low Lot 50/50, 2021
GOAT
Bookending the fifty sneaker collection is this moody blacked-out version of the Dunk Low. Featuring an all-black canvas upper with leather paneling, purple accents, and a metallic swoosh, this is a special pair in the collection and stands in stark contrast to the 49 proceeding colorways.
Abloh kept color to a minimum throughout the Dunk collection, restricting pops of color to the Flywire laces and keeping the sneaker primarily dressed in white and grey tones, for the final pair he threw that idea out the window. When you look at the entirety of the fifty Dunk collection, you realize the whole thing is one big color gradient. Abloh was always one to paint a bigger picture
Off-White Nike Air Jordan II Low, 2021
Nike
Closing out our list of Virgil Abloh’s greatest sneaker designs is the final Off-White Nike sneaker to be released in Abloh’s lifetime, the Off-White Air Jordan II. The Air Jordan II has for some time been an underrated silhouette in the lineage of early Jordans, the always ambitious Abloh attempted to rewrite history and overhaul the silhouette’s image in the cultural zeitgeist not by radically reimagining it, but by paying tribute to its history.
The sneaker’s design is an attempt to recreate the natural aging process of a vintage pair of Jordan IIs and features an artificially decaying midsole that is patched over with translucent materials, and Jordan’s signature adorning each pair, a call back to Jordan’s practice of signing and giving out his shoes to kids at Bulls games.
It’s not a radical departure from the original, instead, it presents the shoe not simply as a design, but as an artifact of time, like a great skyscraper designed by the geniuses of a bygone era made more beautiful with age. There is that connection to architecture again, it stands as one of Abloh’s best and most subtle reimaginings and shows just how deeply he cared about what came before, even as he always forged ahead.
While fans wait patiently for any word of her next musical endeavor, Beyonce continues to make moves in other areas. Her latest is a new Ivy Park collection inspired by collegiate fashion and to promote the new line, she shared a hype video featuring Ivy Park’s newest recruits. While fans have come to expect Beyonce (and Blue Ivy) to appear in the campaigns alongside a diverse array of models, to show off the new collection, she tapped an unexpected source for her newest brand ambassadors: the NBA.
The ad, which starts off with calm music and shots overlooking an austere university campus, quickly picks up its tempo as a bass-heavy beat fades in to overtake the classical vibes with a new, brasher attitude. The shots of students coolly playing table tennis give way to close-ups of NBA stars James Harden and Jalen Green (formerly and currently of Beyonce’s hometown Houston Rockets, respectively), dribbling basketballs emblazoned with both Adidas and Ivy Park logos.
The new looks suggest that the athleisure brand is looking to expand its influence beyond just hardcore Beyonce stans and casual exercise enthusiasts. According to Complex, Halls of Ivy collection will include 89 pieces of apparel, 11 accessories, and four new footwear selections including the Savage sneaker and Super Sleek Boot. The collection launches worldwide on December 10, with an exclusive preview via Adidas’ site on December 9.
Watch Beyonce’s latest Ivy Park campaign video above.
As usual, there’s no one better at putting the most important things into words than Frank, so I’ll let his words speak on their own.
“In 2018 I believe it was I called V and asked him how it was possible to play hundreds of shows a year and do numerous fashion collections a year and be a father and a husband and return EVERYONE’s texts with enthusiasm and emojis and encouragement and seemingly with ease. I cannot remember how he responded verbatim but I’m sure it was quotable what ever he said… he was always quotable. But the gist of his response was that he was interested in living and living to the maximum extent of his level … which proved to be impossible today because he was BEYOND.
I’ll miss you. When Ryan went to his prom you got him some pieces from your new collection at LV and he was GEEKED. Couldn’t get him to take it off. When I went to Miami and you played a set on the beach in 2016 you played “White Ferrari” — a song with no drums or bass anywhere to be found lol — and started a sing a long. When I played you demos of shit I was working on or showed you Homer way before it was ready you put the battery in my back. When my brother passed I never said anything because it was way too much but he loved you and really looked up to you. He was going to fashion school and everything. He wanted to be a designer. My family was proud of you like you were our family. I know grief is love that you don’t get to express so this is an attempt at expressing it. Love you V. You’re a hero.”
Check out the post from the @blonded Instagram story below:
The music and entertainment world was hit with shocking news on Sunday: Famed designer and DJ Virgil Abloh has passed away at the young age of 41. The news was shared through his personal Instagram account as well as the social media pages ofLouis Vuitton, where he served as the company’s artistic director. “For over two years, Virgil valiantly battled a rare, aggressive form of cancer, cardiac angiosarcoma,” the post on Abloh’s Instagram read. “He chose to endure his battle privately since his diagnosis in 2019, undergoing numerous challenging treatments, all while helming several significant institutions that span fashion, art, and culture.”
LVMH, Louis Vuitton and Off White are devastated to announce the passing of Virgil Abloh, on Sunday, November 28th, of cancer, which he had been battling privately for several years. pic.twitter.com/CytwZLvSFu
The news was met with a wave of condolences across the music world. Pharrell, who Virgil credited as a big influence on his work, shared a lengthy message honoring him. “My heart is broken,” Pharrell wrote. “Virgil you were a kind, generous, thoughtful creative genius. Your work as a human and your work as a spiritual being will live forever.” He added, “Sending love and light to your wife, children, family and day ones. You’re with the Master now, shine.”
My heart is broken
Virgil you were a kind, generous, thoughtful creative genius
your work as a human and your work as a spiritual being will live forever
Sending love and light to your wife, children, family and day ones
Virgil Abloh’s work appeared all over the entertainment and creative world. From his trademark Off-White brand and work with Louis Vuitton to crafting some of music’s most memorable recent album covers, from working with the likes of Ye, 2 Chainz, ASAP Rocky, Lil Uzi Vert, and more, his contributions to the world will never be forgotten.
You can read more condolences below.
rest in absolute peace. shocking. thank you Virgil
Kid Cudi made headlines earlier this year when he donned a dress while performing on Saturday Night Live. That wasn’t a one-off thing for him as he proved yesterday, when he showed up to an award show wearing another dress, one that was flashier than his previous look.
Cudi wore a custom wedding dress to attend the Council Of Fashion Designers Of America’s annual award show, the CFDA Awards, yesterday alongside American Emerging Designer Of The Year nominee Eli Russell Linnetz. Linnetz designed the look and People describes it, “Cudi’s wedding-inspired look featured a full lace catsuit worn underneath a matching tea-length skirt and sleek white blazer. Instead of heels, he opted for embellished white sneakers to add some edge. Of course, the ensemble wouldn’t be complete without a statement veil.”
Linnetz told the publication, “I just out of the blue sent him a text of a wedding dress and I was like, ‘Will you be my bride?’” Cudi also said, “I trust this man so I was down to take it wherever his mind went.”
Following Cudi’s SNL appearance where we wore a dress, he explained that he wasn’t concerned with negative reception his fashion choice, saying, “I’ve never been someone who’s like thinking about the backlash. I don’t give a f*ck about what anyone thinks. You can’t when you’re doing this sh*t. I knew it would piss some people off, but I love that. Because hip-hop is so weird about sh*t. I’ve already seen people making YouTube videos where they’re just strictly talking about me and this dress. Like grown men angry, grown Black men angry. ‘He’s doing something against men and masculinity, it’s a big thing going on…’ And I just be like, yo, this is so funny, this is crazy that I’ve stirred it up like this.
We’ve all been told not to judge a book by its cover, and while the same thought can be applied to album covers, the rule becomes a bit harder to follow in this scenario. An album’s artwork is the first thing that grabs our attention — negatively or positively — before we can press play on it. Oftentimes, the cover art is used to promote a body of work before its official release which then opens the flood gates for fans to judge its appearance and rate how good the album may or may not be.
For better or for worse, there have been a number of memorable album covers in 2021. There’s Drake’s pregnant woman-emoji-laden cover for Certified Lover Boy that was considered a troll until he went out his way to confirm it. Ye kept things simple with a black square for Donda while Lil Nas X’s artwork for Montero finds him nude and suspended in the air. Yung Bleu appears as an astronaut in his Moon Boy cover and Lorde’s own for Solar Power was a bit… cheeky, wouldn’t you say?
With that being said, 2021 also gave us album covers with artists showing off their best looks. It’s always great to receive a quality collection of music that’s wrapped in a well-captured portrait of the artist. Without further ado, here are the ten most stylish album covers of 2021.
Ayra Starr — 19 & Dangerous
Mavin Global Holdings
Afropop singer Ayra Starr dropped off 19 & Dangerous, her sophomore project and second release of the year. The project delivers a tale of growth that arrives as the singer prepares to exit the teenager status for adulthood. For its cover, Starr sits on a blue bag dressed in what appears to be red stain pants and golden elbow-length gloves. She’s also surrounded by deep green walls to complete the truly colorful cover.
CKay — Boyfriend
Warner Music South Africa
Keeping things in the afrobeats world, Ckay delivered another sharp cover art with his Boyfriend EP. He released the project at the top of the year and it’s masked with a purple hue that is complemented by the car Ckay leans on, the night sky and flowers behind him, the scarf and fingernails on the arm of a woman that’s wrapped around him. Altogether, it makes for a sharp cover that captures the Ckay’s sensitive side along with the seven songs that appear on the EP.
Doja Cat — Planet Her
Kemosabe/RCA
There has yet to be a moment too big for Doja Cat to handle. So even when the pressure for her to surpass expectations with her third album Planet Her continued to rise, Doja stepped up to bat and hit a home run. The artwork for the album helped listeners envision the weirdo spectacle that she presented on the project. She lays on what appears to be a glittery body of land which neon shades of glitter covering her body from head to toe. Might I mention that the album is also one of the best releases in 2021? Long story short, Doja came through from top to bottom.
Kirby — Sis. He Wasn’t The One
Kirby
At the beginning of 2020, Memphis singer Kirby arrived with her debut project Sis. Nearly two years later, she returned with its sequel Sis. He Wasn’t The One in what also sports a very underrated cover. Kirby lays beside a man with her light brown hair tied up while wearing a red top that compliments the flowery blanket she lays on and the room she’s in. If you’re looking for a body of work that vents one’s struggles with love while expounding on a man’s failure to be a solid partner, Sis. He Wasn’t The One delivers that with an aesthetically pleasing cover to look at.
Little Simz — Sometimes I Might Be Introverted
Age 101 Music/ AWAL Recordings
Little Simz’sSometimes I Might Be Introverted is truly a beautiful body of work. It’s one of those rare projects where everything from the lyrics, the production, the sequencing, and more fall into the place so exquisitely. Its artwork is another notable point The London rapper sits nervously in a wooden chair while rocking a yellow and black checkered suit as his hair is tied up to a high altitude. The mustard yellow backdrop also pairs well with Little Simz’s look in what comes together as an eye-pleasing cover.
Masego — Studying Abroad: Extended Stay
EQT Recordings/Capitol Records
Masego ended 2020 with Studying Abroad, his first project since his pristine 2018 debut album Lady Lady. Studying Abroad received the deluxe treatment back in May as five more songs were added to the project to accompany highlights like “Mystery Lady” and “Silver Tongue Devil. The deluxe reissue also granted us a new cover that presented the already-stylish Masego in a salmon suit as he posed longing into the camera which captures nature’s beauty behind him.
Serpentwithfeet — Deacon
Secretly Canadian
Serpentwithfeet began the spring season this year with his Deacon project. It’s a release that was filled with music he described as “a lot softer, a lot more gentle than my previous work,” “something that felt very sensuous,” and “something that felt calm and restrained.” This tender approach comes alive on the project’s cover art as it presents Serpentwithfeet in a white button-up top and gold accessories on his fingers, neck, ears, and hair. He also holds another man in his arms who sports a similar white top as they both stand amid a hazy desert.
Symphani Soto — Under The Sun
Bizness Boi Music Group
South Florida’s Symphani Soto earned herself a nice career boost with her June project Under The Sun. Its 11 tracks make for a body of work ideal for an afternoon drive or warm evening at the beach. Soto appears relaxed and free throughout the project and if you need a visual for that, it’s available on the project’s cover art. The singer stands tall and free in a detailed and intricate bright orange dress as the slightly cloudy sky behind her helps to enhance her features and make her stand out.
Umi — Introspection Reimagined
Umi/Keep Cool/RCA
Umi breathed new life into her 2020 album Introspection and re-released it with a new dose of vibrancy and lucidity through eight songs. It also comes with a beautiful cover that sees Umi in an elaborate white gown. Captured from an aerial view, Umi stares closely into a mirror with her arms almost stretched fully apart over a rich red backdrop.
VanJess — Homegrown
Keep Cool/RCA
Nearly three years after their career-solidifying debut album Silk Canvas, VanJess returned with their Homegrown EP. Music aside, the project was presented with a flawless cover that captured the beauty of Ivana and Jess. Seated at a gold table and on golden chairs, VanJess stuns with clothing that ranges from cheetah print, bright red, shimmery gold, and lavish accessories. Oh, and the music on the project and its eventual deluxe edition are great too!
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Throughout their nearly four decades as an awards show, the MTV VMAs have historically been a way for musicians to experiment with their style. Lady Gaga’s 2010 raw meat dress became one of the most-recognizable pop culture moments, and who could forget Lil Kim’s purple pasties at the 1999 VMAs red carpet? As someone who thrives at the intersection of hip-hop and pop genres, Doja Cat has definitely taken a page out of Gaga and Kim’s playbooks when it comes to her own style. Whether she’s delightfully draped in chiffon or wearing an actual stool on her head as a hat, Doja toes the line between shocking and playful — proving she’s having more fun with fashion than anyone else in music.
When it comes to her style, part of Doja’s shock value success comes from her commitment to a concept. It’s been an important part of her artistry from her breakout moment and is abundantly clear from watching her music videos, performances, and eyeing her show-stopping red carpet looks. Throughout her career, Doja has leaned into cat-like looks to go along with her namesake, caught disco fever with the ‘70s-inspired outfits following the release of her No. 1 track “Say So,” and gone out of this world with a futurist approach to her ensembles surrounding the era of her latest album, Planet Her.
Doja’s videos make it clear she has stayed true to an aesthetic from the very beginning. She fully leaned into the title of her song “Moo!” in a video that became her first viral moment. The green screen-backed visual saw the singer dressed head-to-toe in a cow-print outfit and sipping on a strawberry milkshake while she shouts, “B*tch, I’m a cow.” Her outfits in the video to “Bottom B*tch,” a song which samples Blink-182’s “What’s My Age Again?,” brought pop-punk into a new decade by taking style elements from Spencer’s-obsessed teens like mesh tops and neon beanies while adding a modern twist with stringy corset tops and a patterned two-piece set. Fast-forward a few years and most of her videos to the tracks from Planet Her now revolve around an extraterrestrial theme. She and SZA were giant femme fetal space dwellers in “Kiss Me More,” while Doja transformed into a seductive, green, metropolis-living alien in her “Need To Know” video.
Doja’s conceptual style also plays a major role in her live performances. She played up the feline-lover origins of her moniker with her Vevo Lift performance of “Say So” in 2020, which added campy elements to distinctly classic styles. Her wig was bobbed and curled in the style of Marilyn Monroe, while its hot pink color and fuzzy cat ears made it her own. Her accompanying outfit was a Garo Sparo bodice with a sweetheart neckline cut to mimic the Playboy bunny cocktail waitress outfits-turned popular Halloween costumes. But instead of being made from satin, Doja’s outfit was cut from hot pink furry cloth, once again nodding to her cat-like look. “There’s something mysterious about the concept of a ‘crazy cat lady,’” she said in an interview alongside the performance. “I took that symbol and applied it to my character, Doja Cat.” When it came to her recent 2021 performance at the Balmain Fashion Show in Paris, her concept was a bit more open-ended. Rather than formatting her look after an animal, the singer said she wanted her look to give the energy of “sexy garlic.”
Doja has long positioned herself as a fashion boundary-pusher, so she is always right at home on the red carpet. In fact, some of the singer’s most experimental looks happened at award shows. When it comes to the VMAs, Doja hasn’t held anything back. When she took the virtual stage in 2020, the singer showed up in an ensemble that can only be described as a sexy fish, complete with lit-up genitalia. A year later while hosting the ceremony, the singer accepted a VMA award in a head-to-toe padded quilt dress designed by Thom Browne that Doja compared to a colorful worm. “I never thought I’d be dressed as a worm while accepting an award,” she said.
Her “sexy fish” VMAs outfit is, to no one’s surprise, not the only look Doja has worn that draws attention to her… nether regions. At the 2020 AVN Awards, aka the “Oscars of porn,” the singer showed up in a skin-tight mesh bodysuit that sparsely covered her crotch in rhinestones. The look expertly combined the disco-inspired era “Say So” with the theme of the night, an outfit her stylist would later call her “Cher moment.”
Whether she’s posing in a glittery merkin, accepting an award dressed as a neon worm, clomping around in massive chicken claw-like shoes, many of her wildest outfits have one thing in common: they were designed in collaboration with her stylist, Brett Alan Nelson. While Doja has always had her own style, there’s no denying that Nelson has helped take her fashion to the next, sometimes bizarre, level. As a central part of Doja’s team since 2019, Nelson is drawn to over-the-top, theatrical styles. “She and I get each other so well,” Nelson said about his work with Doja in an interview with Vogue. “We bicker like brother and sister, but I know her, sometimes better than she knows herself. She’s down to have fun, take risks, and she trusts me, which in my industry, that is the best thing a creative could ever ask for.”
Before launching his currently running Off-Season tour, J. Cole made a statement with his performance at the iHeartRadio Festival. It wasn’t a political statement, or even an announcement, though. It was a fashion statement. Rocking a tie-dye shirt, sweatpants, and black Crocs, Cole captured the attention of social media. While he’s far from the only rapper to endorse the Broomfield, Colorado shoe brand’s signature chunky, no-effort clogs, it was notable that he did so during such a high-profile performance. However, it shouldn’t be surprising; J. Cole has always secretly been one of rap’s most stylish artists.
I know what you’re thinking: “J. Cole? Stylish??” And I get it. If you’re online in any way, you’ve likely seen the Fayetteville, North Carolina rapper getting roasted for seemingly putting minimal effort into his performance fits — see the aforementioned Crocs instance. He’s never been one to shout out name brands or construct elaborate ensembles with glittering accessories dangling from his neck or wrists. He’s the ultra-regular rapper whose almost extreme relatability gets him clowned for not being flashy enough either in content or presentation.
Let’s get a few things clear, though. Fashion and style are two different things. As Cole’s mentor Jay-Z once said, “I can’t teach you my swag / You can pay for school but you can’t buy class.” Just donning a stack of expensive items bearing the brand marks of Italian designers doesn’t equate to having style; anyone can buy their way into fashion icon status with enough money. Having style means having a signature look, an ethos behind what you’re wearing besides showing off your bank account. It’s about showing people who you are. Plenty of rappers are arguably more fashionable than J. Cole but while designers’ names pop off of individual pieces, their ensembles often look like they got dressed in the dark with their stunner shades on.
Cole knows exactly what he’s going for with his looks, opting for comfort over name recognition. And yes, he too flaunts established rules about color matching and fit, he usually turns out to just be ahead of a coming trend rather than out of style. Consider his ultra laid-back looks of late. Some may consider them frumpy or lazy, but who among us didn’t give up on jeans during the pandemic in favor of layabout fits better suited to our new working from home lifestyles (I mean, those of you who didn’t already work from home)? Even his adoption of Crocs as performance wear reflects the foam clogs’ newfound popularity and cultural cachet. Industry peers like Justin Bieber, Nicki Minaj, and Post Malone have collaborated with the brand with pieces so highly demanded they’ve sold out within minutes of availability.
Maybe Cole hasn’t become a fashion icon because his simple, cozy fits reflect his down-to-earth persona a little too well. Just look at Kanye West, who’s gotten away with leather kilts, retro puffer vests, cultural appropriation (those keffiyehs didn’t bother anyone else?), and all types of other outlandish sartorial choices — including his own lazy-boy, dad-life-inspired Yeezy brand — almost solely because he presents himself as a fashion maven, going to designers’ shows and pitching fits (no pun intended) about his perceived lack of support from those in the industry.
Say what you want about Cole’s love for tie-dye and baggy joggers, at least his looks have a lot of personality. Yeezy seasons 2-6 were roundly ridiculed for being bland and lackadaisical, with Kanye seemingly re-pitching the same shapeless, earth-tone pieces year after year. Cole may not have his own brand, but his style has an identity; he isn’t just mashing together designer pieces for the sake of Frankenstein-ing the most expensive outfit for the sole purpose of flexing. You can even see how his — and Yeezy’s — respective influences have begun to spread. More and more celebrities like Bieber and Billie Eilish have already embraced the cozy lifestyle dressing for comfort over Vogue approval… And fans have naturally reciprocated. Being outside after the past year is anxiety-inducing enough; why not at least be warm (or well-ventilated), mobile, and free from worries about showing off the quarantine 15 many of us picked up after a year of UberEats (or Postmates, or DoorDash) and suspended gym memberships?
If you ask me, J. Cole always had the right idea. He’s always just dressed like himself, even as he strove to be a superstar rapper. If anything, that’s the most hip-hop thing he could’ve done. Remember when the Beastie Boys tried to dress like rappers, with their matching Adidas sweatsuits? Russell Simmons saw right through them; they looked ridiculous. Instead, he told them, they should be themselves — that would endear them far more to the culture than looking like outsiders trying to dress the part. It seemed like that would be the rule forever, but somewhere along the way, that rule got lost. Keeping it real wasn’t enough; you had to look like you were rich — which, to the newly wealthy artists of the platinum era, meant wearing all the money they were “making,” even if they were just wasting their advance money to look cool by someone else’s standard.
From the moment he arrived on the scene, J. Cole offered an antithesis to the money-hungry image often associated with major label rap acts. Sure, for a while, he got caught up in the hype himself (hello, “Mr. Nice Watch”), but in time, he grew into his status and embraced his own way of doing things. His style is a reflection of his music, which is a rejection of rap’s status quo — or maybe just a reclamation of its roots. Yes, the pioneers of the culture wanted to be fly, but they wanted to be fly their way, to show the world who they were without frills or having to code-switch to fit in. Cole doesn’t switch up for anyone else’s approval, which is really what hip-hop is all about. For that alone, he should be considered not just a style icon, but one of rap’s role models for redefining the rules and showing the world that style and substance don’t have to be opposites. Like Cole’s intricate rhymes and his mainstream success, they can counterintuitively go hand-in-hand.
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BIG OG DREEZ (@dreezydreezy) 
