Virgil Abloh

Luxury Car Owners Paying $250,000 Over The Retail Price For Exclusive ‘Virgil’ Mercedes Maybach

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The release of the 2023 Mercedes Maybach “Virgil” edition has taken the luxury car market by storm. With only 150 units produced, and just 41 of them making their way to the United States, the demand for this exclusive vehicle is high, especially among celebrities. The demand for this exclusive vehicle has reached such a fever pitch that people are willing to pay up to $250,000 over the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $325,000

Rapper Drake, singer-songwriter Alicia Keys, Nigerian superstar Davido, and rising hip hop artist Lil Baby are among the first celebrities to floss with the in-demand car. The Maybach “Virgil” edition has a unique sand brown exterior color with black and brown interior accents.

The scarcity of this car, combined with its unique design and high-end features, has made it a highly sought-after item among luxury car enthusiasts.
In addition to its sleek and stylish design, the Maybach “Virgil” edition is packed with advanced features, including state-of-the-art safety technology, cutting-edge infotainment systems, and a powerful engine that delivers a smooth and comfortable ride. The car’s luxurious interior features premium materials, including leather upholstery, high-quality wood accents, and advanced climate control systems.
The exclusivity and high price tag of the Maybach “Virgil” edition has already been stamped as a symbol of wealth and status among those who can afford it. It is no surprise that celebrities, who often enjoy the finer things in life, are among the first to acquire this exclusive vehicle.
The “Virgil” Maybach edition has caused such a stir, it is no wonder why people are willing to pay a premium to get their hands on one. As the market for luxury cars continues to evolve, the Maybach “Virgil” edition has certainly set a new standard for what it means to be a truly exclusive and high-end vehicle.

Check out the 2023 Mercedes Maybach “Virgil” edition below.

The post Luxury Car Owners Paying $250,000 Over The Retail Price For Exclusive ‘Virgil’ Mercedes Maybach appeared first on The Source.

Fat Joe Explains Why He Turned Down $150K For Virgil Abloh Louis Vuitton Shoes

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Fat Joe is someone who has always been considered a sneakerhead. Overall, he loves his sneakers. He has an extensive collection that can rival anybody in the hip-hop world. Consequently, when you reach a certain level of fame, you start to get a whole lot of gifts. Over the years, brands have reached out to him with seeded sneakers. Moreover, his connections have oftentimes led him to receive “friends and family” sneakers. These are shoes that are very limited and were made just for specific people related to the designer or influencer.

One of the larger collections that people have been fawning over as of late, is the Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1 collection. Ultimately, this was one of Virgil Abloh’s final pieces prior to his untimely passing. Overall, these shoes are extremely expensive. Moreover, there were some friends and family colorways that were divided up amongst some very famous people. As it turns out, Fat Joe was one of the beneficiaries of this. In a recent video on his Instagram, the legendary artist even revealed that people have been making wild offers.

Fat Joe Reveals His Logic

In the video above, reposted by @thehiphopwolf, you can see Fat Joe explain some of the offers he has received. Overall, the highest bid so far has been a whopping $150K. However, Fat Joe has no intentions of selling the shoes. Although it has been hard for him to not accept the various offers that have come in, he believes it would be against his morals to sell. This is because the shoes were a gift. Moreover, when you contemplate just how much Virgil Abloh means to so many, you can see why he would hang on to these. Either way, this just goes to show how wild the sneaker market can be sometimes.

Virgil Abloh’s work with the likes of Louis Vuitton and Nike was the stuff of legend. Even now, he is considered to be one of the greatest streetwear designers ever. That said, it should come as no surprise that people are looking to pay top dollar for some ultra-rare kicks. Let us know what you think of Fat Joe and his rationale, in the comments below.

Drake Becomes Latest Rapper To Flex The Virgil Abloh Maybach

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Drake is one of the richest artists in the entire world. It is easy to understand how that came to be. Overall, he has some of the best-selling records of this generation. Moreover, he is someone who has been able to captivate audiences, which leads to sold-out tours. He even makes a lot of money through a plethora of endorsements and investments. One can just look at his role at Nike to understand that he is much more than a musician, he is also a global icon.

At this point in his career, he can pretty well afford whatever he wants. There isn’t a single piece of jewelry that he cannot acquire. Additionally, if he wants to purchase a new home or perhaps even his own private island, he can do that as well. As far as material goods are concerned, expensive cars are also very much on the table for Drake. Why not? They are fun to drive and they look very good. This is especially true when the car itself is designed by one of the most respected designers in the history of contemporary fashion.

Drake Takes The Maybach To Miami

In case you haven’t noticed, a lot of artists have been flexing the Virgil Abloh Maybach as of late. Abloh’s passing was devastating for the fashion world, although he certainly left his mark. One of the last things he did was create this gorgeous Maybach which can be seen in the video above. According to 2Cool2Bl0g, Drake was driving this vehicle around the streets of Miami. We’ve been reporting on Drake’s Miami exploits, and as it turns out, this car was a big part of his trip. Overall, the vehicle has neutral tones but is flashy thanks to the black and tan split.

Lil Baby and Swizz Beatz have also been pictured with this car. Needless to say, it isn’t the rarest car in the world. There are plenty of them out on the market for those who want or can afford them. That said, there is no doubt that Drake was excited to take this car for a spin. Let us know what you think about the Virgil Maybach, in the comments below.

Alicia Keys Receives Virgil Abloh-Designed Mercedes-Maybach From Swizz Beatz: Video

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Alicia Keys previously celebrated her 42nd birthday back in January, but she’s just now getting to enjoy one of the luxurious presents purchased for her by her doting husband, Swizz Beatz. On the 25th of the first month of the year, the renowned vocalist celebrated with some sunshine in a bikini, and her producer beau serenaded her, much to her pleasure. While the gift was certainly thoughtful and romantic, it has nothing on what just finally came through on Sunday (March 26).

In a video posted to her Instagram yesterday evening, the “Fallin’” hitmaker and her two sons unveiled a custom Mercedes-Maybach whip for Keys, which was designed by the late Virgil Abloh. As her young boys remove the elegant car’s dust cover, we see an utterly shocked expression on their mother’s face. “Maybach Sundays 😂,” the lucky recipient wrote in her caption. “I finally got to see my bday gift from the kids and my hubby 🥵🥵🥵🤯🤯🤯. RIP @virgilabloh this one is a masterpiece woooowwww🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽.”

Alicia Keys’ Iconic Belated B-Day Gift from Her Husband

Keys’ kids, Egypt, and Genesis were obviously eager to give her the long-awaited present, which she promptly sat down in. “There’s no words to explain this one,” the older of the children told the camera before the big reveal. “That’s crazy,” the R&B diva repeats while taking in the sheer beauty laying in front of her. On Swizz’s IG page, he had more photos and kind words to share about his wife. “Keys open doors 🔑,” his message began.

“Long live @virgilabloh 🤲🏾, gifts from the kids to the Queen, always,” the “Fancy” hitmaker added. Throughout his photo dump, we see Alicia Keys sitting in both the front and the back of her grandiose present. While she’ll likely be spending more time in the rear, with a driver doing the heavy lifting while she relaxes, The Voice alum looks undeniably awesome riding in the driver’s seat with her platinum gold heels. Check out Swizz Beatz’s Instagram post below, and let us know how much you think the car costs in the comment section.

More Major Flexin’

[Via]

Lil Baby Flexes Incredible Virgil Abloh Maybach

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Lil Baby is someone who has amassed a considerable amount of wealth over the past few years. Overall, this is due to the fact that he is an amazing artist with some chart-topping songs and albums. At this point in time, Baby is seen as one of the top artists in the game. Even if you aren’t a fan, you cannot help but deny the fact he has hits. Moreover, he is featured on the vast majority of big releases, which just goes to show the respect he gets from all of his peers.

With his wealth, Baby has not been shy to overindulge in all of the things that signal just how rich you are. Chains, clothes, and cars are not off-limits to the artist. Furthermore, he can typically be seen flaunting these material goods over on social media. Recently, that is exactly what he did as Lil Baby had a brand-new vehicle to show off. However, this is not just any vehicle. It was an extremely special Maybach, designed by the one and only Virgil Abloh.

Lil Baby & His New Car

In the video up above, you can see Baby unveiling a special box from Maybach that features a model replica of the Maybach in question. Subsequently, Lil Baby pans the camera up to a real-life version of the car that is stationed in his driveway. Overall, the car is absolutely gorgeous as the top portion of the car is black, while the sides and front have this nice tan aesthetic going on. This is a pretty unique paint scheme for a luxury car, and it is very obvious that Baby loves his new toy.

Virgil Abloh was a legendary designer, and he was a massive figure in the hip-hop world. That said, it should come as no surprise that Lil Baby would want to cop this new whip. It looks pretty amazing, and he will be making quite a bit of noise on the roads, in due time. Let us know what you think of this vehicle, in the comments below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more hip-hop news.

Jim Jones & Juelz Santana React To Pharrell Williams Being Named Creative Director Of Louis Vuitton

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Jim Jones and Juelz Santana are happy with Louis Vuitton’s decision to select Pharrell Williams as the brand’s next Men’s Creative Director. The two New York rappers, who have collaborated with Pharrell many times, discussed the position with TMZ, earlier this week. Pharrell is stepping into the position that was previously held by Virgil Abloh until his death in 2021.

“I think Pharrell deserved that position, “Jones said, before describing him as one of the “curators for fashion in hip-hop.” He added: “I remember the first time we ever had a session– me and Cam with Pharrell. His style was so different. He had on a fur coat in the summertime. I never understood it. But looking back at it and seeing forward, he was already ahead of his time when it comes to fashion and things like that so I tip my hat to Pharrell. I used to call him Pharrell Chanel, but now we gonna call him Pharrell Louis.”

Jim Jones’ Reaction

He also said that Virgil Abloh would be “very satisfied” with the brand selecting Pharrell to replace him. Abloh took over the position in 2018, making him the first Black artistic director of Louis Vuitton. In the role, he brought a younger demographic to the iconic French fashion house. His death shocked the world when it was announced that he had privately been battling with cancer.

Louis Vuitton announced that Pharrell would be taking over its menswear division in a statement release, last week. “I am glad to welcome Pharrell back home, after our collaborations in 2004 and 2008 for Louis Vuitton, as our new Men’s Creative Director,” Pietro Beccari, Louis Vuitton’s chairman and CEO, said. “His creative vision beyond fashion will undoubtedly lead Louis Vuitton towards a new and very exciting chapter.”

Elsewhere in Jim Jones’ interview with TMZ, he reflected on meeting with NYC Mayor Eric Adams. In doing so, he explained that he’s been trying to get a star-studded group of artists together for the Mayor’s Cup of Dance. He says that he wants Fabolous and Maino to represent Brooklyn, Cardi B and Fat Joe to represent the Bronx, and Nas and N.O.R.E. to represent Queens. Jones previously met with Eric Adams when attended Drake’s sold-out Apollo Theater.

[Via]

Pharrell Williams Named As The New Men’s Creative Director For Louis Vuitton

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Pharrell Williams

Pharrell Williams was recently named the men’s creative director at the French luxury fashion brand, Louis Vuitton. The singer-songwriter and fashion designer will be taking over for the late creative director Virgil Abloh. Legendary producer and musician Pharrell Williams has been named as the new men’s creative director for the French luxury brand Louis Vuitton. […]

The post Pharrell Williams Named As The New Men’s Creative Director For Louis Vuitton appeared first on SOHH.com.

Louis Vuitton Wants Pharrell To Be The New Menswear Designer, Taking Over Virgil Abloh’s Vacant Role

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pharrell louis vuitton
Getty Image

Ever since the passing of Virgil Abloh, the head menswear designer role he held at Louis Vuitton has been vacant. That may be changing soon, as the French luxury house is reportedly in talks with music superproducer Pharrell Williams to fill the position, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Virgil, who founded the streetwear brand Off-White in 2013 and worked heavily with Kanye West in the early ’10s, was the first African-American to be artistic director at a French luxury brand after joining Louis Vuitton in 2018. He was also a relatively successful DJ and cover art designer, marking the overlap in music and fashion.

Pharrell would offer a natural extension of that overlap; while he got his start in music as one-half of the superstar production duo The Neptunes, he went on to have a tremendous influence in the world of fashion thanks to his collaborations with brands like Adidas and Bape and his work with his own brands BBC and Ice Cream.

LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the company that runs Louis Vuitton (along with a bunch of other luxury brands, as you can probably tell by its title), is likely looking to take advantage of that cultural cachet, continuing what Abloh started in embracing streetwear and the two musicians’ more avant-garde approach to fashion.

How The Stars Aligned For Mark Braster To Design The Grammy’s ‘When The Stars Align’ Capsule Collection

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Mark Braster Recording Academy Interview
Getty Image/Ralph Ordaz

Mark Braster started out as an apprentice for Ms. Denise at D&M Apparel in Fort Wayne, Indiana (while also delivering the mail for two years) and now he’s being appointed to design merch lines for some major stars including 21 Savage, SZA, Kanye West, Young Thug, and Lil Wayne. His most recent collaboration is with The Recording Academy to celebrate the 65th Grammy Awards with a capsule collection modeled by rising artists JEELEL! and Bktherula.

The theme: “When The Stars Align.” Perhaps a message for those who still haven’t won a gilded gramophone? Either way, the collection is super clean. It includes uniquely designed sweats, hoodies, and t-shirts with a cosmic vibe that is both nostalgic and modern.

I spoke with the Brast Studios owner about how the stars aligned for him to create the collection for The Recording Academy, how the stars aligned for him to connect with the late Virgil Abloh, and how the stars aligned for him to work with Kanye West. He also gave me his Grammy speech.

How did you get on board with the Grammys to do their merch?

Long story short, I was referred. I found out last minute. I know that they wanted to try something different. At the end of the day, the power is in the youth. Everything is based on if the youth gravitates toward it or not. It makes or breaks the situation. They’re highlighting hip-hop this year, which is another huge thing. I thought that it was going to be myself and other designers but when I found that it was just me, it was surreal.

Tell me about the “when the stars align” theme.

It’s a concept that The Recording Academy wanted to go with. The initial theme was supposed to be love and music. My initial capsule that I presented was more Valentine’s Day driven. But I could also see why they wanted to switch it to “when the stars align.” At the end of the day, we were able to create those vibrant pieces that are pretty much cohesive with the Grammys branding this year.

Tell me a little bit about the pieces you worked on for it.

The first initial design was the long sleeve, which has a gradient on the sleeve, super vibrant. On the back of the shirt, there is an astronaut sitting on top of the world holding a Grammy. And then the upper left shoulder is a quote, which is a quote from Pharrell. Then all the movie posters from back in the day.

Hip-hop has this love-hate relationship with the Grammys and with this line and you being a Black designer, how do you feel about that?

It was not just the Grammys. It’s corporate brands overall. At some point, people just have to realize things have to change in order to grow. Change has to happen. A post on Twitter said, as much as they don’t want to believe corporate brands need people like us, we’re the ones with the creativity. We have fresh ideas to keep it relevant, which is 100% true. A lot of these brands are starting to collaborate with artists because they see the powers within the culture. I feel like someone (at the Recording Academy) really was like we need to make this change and I’m sure it wasn’t easy. Overall, it’s been a great experience. Unfortunately, we have to be the bigger person and be less emotionally driven to get the point across that we are powerful and we influence a majority of the world.

How did you get into the fashion field?

So, there’s a leather store here in Fort Wayne run by a lady named Ms. Denise. I would go to the leather shop and just watch her sew. I had ideas. I was putting pieces together but I just didn’t know how to do it myself. At some point, she was like, hey, I’m not doing this. You got to do it. I want you to learn. That was how I learned how to sew. She gave me my first industrial sewing machine. I actually got to rebrand the store. She paid me for the logo and it was one of the first times I got paid.

How much?

She gave me $500. She gave me a leather jacket because it was a leather jacket that I saw that I wanted. It was a Harley-Davidson leather jacket. So, she gave me $500, the leather jacket, and then the sewing machine.

Did you start making clothes to sell online after that?

I started selling clothes online out of high school. I had college scholarships for track but I ended up not taking a scholarship because fashion is what I wanted to do. I’ve always been artistic, so I ended up working at UPS as a delivery driver assistant. That’s when I first started teaching myself how to design for about a year. Then I wanted to try to do my own brand, so of course, I quit. I began doing custom pieces and that’s kind of how I started networking with celebrities.

Tell me what it was like working Virgil Abloh and Kanye West, which I am sure was a dream.

I actually spoke with Virgil way before anything with Kanye. Right after he started Off-White in 2013. He did the initial launch with Shane Gonzales from Midnight Studios and I took some photos for that shoot. I tagged him on Twitter and he reshared it. Then, he started following me on Twitter. Around 2015, I was more on Instagram where I would share stuff because I feel like that was the best way to get it out there, be creative, network, and show I was serious. I didn’t want a handout. I didn’t end up being like an employee for him or anything like that but just having Virgil acknowledge my work and my work was actually featured in an article of his.

What did acknowledgment do for you from that point on?

Money-wise, it didn’t really do anything, but I’d say I’ve always had high self-esteem. I know I’m good. Whatever I put my mind to, I’m good at it. I’ll be great. But just knowing that someone like that, of that caliber, makes me feel like I’m on the right track. I got a lot of work to do, but I’m on the right track.

How did Kanye connection happen?

The Donda thing was actually random. A friend of mine had just started working with Ye. I think he met him at Diddy’s house because he used to work for Diddy and then he met Ye at a party and Ye kind of just stole him from Diddy or whatever. A couple of weeks in, he hit me to work on the Donda stuff with him. He was like, the pay isn’t crazy, but I think you would be perfect or you will fit in. The first thing that we did was the New Year’s party flyer for him and Future. From there we kind of took on the Donda Sports and stuff, which led to the Slam Magazine cover placement.

Did you interact with Kanye much at all?

Just as a team. I did get to meet him in Chicago at a Donda game. Ye, Justin Laboy, and Antonio Brown. That whole era was crazy. Like the energy – I’ve never seen anything like it. When he came into a room, you could just feel it. It was wild. I’m not going to lie, it was almost intimidating for a quick second. It was a ton of people around. I got to say a few things.

What’s something you learned working with Ye that you take with you today?

Growing up, Ye was one of my idols. He and Pharrell. Those are the guys I looked up to fashion-wise; their whole demeanor and how they carry themselves. So you fast forward and I end up working with them. The biggest thing I took from this, it’s a couple of things was this was my first time actually working with an actual team. I’ve always done everything on my own. I’ve never had backup. I’ve worked with some people, but it wasn’t like this.

What’s the difference?

This is like an actual team effort. Everybody played their part and it was almost like a seamless situation. I will say it was like a ton of revision, but having that team aspect made it a lot easier to get clarity. As far as Ye’s vision, that’s one thing. Him as a creative, seeing how he works, it made me realize that it’s okay to be inspired. I feel like I was so hellbent on doing everything original or I can’t take inspiration from this or that. Whereas he’s inspired by everything around all of us. He doesn’t hide it at all. If he likes something, he’s going to let you know.

He had us watch this George Lucus film called THX 1138 and it’s like a futuristic film. I feel like the way he was dressing at that time, the boots and all of that, it just all made sense.

What was the deal with the boots, did you ask?

I don’t know. I wanted to ask. I literally felt like I feel like he’s in character. I feel like he took inspiration from THX 1138 as far as the boots and just how he wore his clothes and that George Lucas film played a part in the Donda Slam cover. If you look at the text, the way the names are at the bottom, it’s literally just like Star Wars. The intro where it’s angled was his vision. I loved it because I grew up watching Star Wars and Star Trek with my grandpa. That’s a huge thing. So seeing that it’s one of his favorite films and whatever, I was like, this is where I was supposed to be. Overall, it just helped with my confidence and just trusting other people, because working with other people, is a hard thing. And as a creative, it’s very hard. At the end of the day, there’s a purpose and the finished piece is like a masterpiece.

Give me your Grammy speech. Who do you want to thank?

I just like to thank everyone that has believed in me over the years. It’s too many people to name, but 100%, outside of me being talented, I wouldn’t be here without those people giving me a chance and just allowing me to show them that I’m a genuine person and I’m here to work. I specifically want to thank Barry (Hefner) from Since The 80s, because he’s the one that brought this opportunity to me. I’m still in disbelief. When he first asked me, I was like, bro, are you joking right now? And he’s like, nah. Like, I’m dead serious. I want to thank Barry.