Virgil Abloh to join the Royal College of Art as Visiting Professor

Virgil's appointment as Visiting Professor at the RCA will enable students from across the College to benefit from his wealth of experience as a leading figure in international fashion and design. He will present masterclasses and talks throughout the year as well as share unique employment opportunities with our students and alumni.

Virgil Abloh said: ‘It’s with great honour I join the RCA as a Visiting Professor to reinforce the importance of education and hands on mentorship of future generations’.

Sir Jony Ive, RCA Chancellor said: ‘Virgil is a true force for change – a powerful combination of creativity and entrepreneurial spirit, whose experience and mentorship will undoubtedly inspire a new generation of creative innovators to realise the full value of their potential. I’m thrilled that he’s agreed to help us with our work at the College’.

Zowie Broach, RCA Head of Fashion said: ‘Virgil embodies the RCA's spirit of collaboration and ingenuity – he is a designer and polymathic entrepreneur who has combined the fields of art, architecture, craft and design. Ultimately, the way he uses his practice to create social change is inspiring.’

Virgil has been the artistic director of Louis Vuitton's menswear collection since March 2018 – he is the first African American to hold this position at the Maison. He is also the Founder and CEO of Milan-based label Off-White, a fashion house he founded in 2013. 

Throughout his career he has collaborated with numerous companies and individuals on fashion lines, furniture ranges and artistic projects, including: IKEA, Nike, luggage manufacturer Rimowa as well as Kanye West (with whom he began his fashion career interning at Fendi), conceptual artist Jenny Holzer and Japanese artist Takashi Murakami. 

Virgil is passionate about philanthropy, having recently created a fund to foster equity and inclusion within the fashion industry by providing scholarships to students of academic promise of Black, African-American, or African descent.

In the summer 2020 Virgil presented an inspiring talk for the RCA community:“A LECTURE ON POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS" IDEAS ON RACE IN AREAS OF ART, DESIGN and CURRENT CULTURE based on experiences’ which was a highlight for many of our students studying during an uncertain time.

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