Wife of Virgil Abloh Says Many People Claimed to be His “Best Friend” After His Death to Get a Hold of His Legacy

Shannon Abloh, the wife of prolific fashion designer Virgil Abloh, is opening up about carrying on his legacy, despite the two never getting an opportunity to outline how he wanted to be remembered. 

Abloh passed away suddenly in 2021 after a private two-year battle with cardiac angiosarcoma, an aggressive form of cancer. According to Medscape, patients typically live between 15 and 24 months after the diagnosis. Abloh learned he had the rare disease in 2019. Despite these grim odds, Abloh continued his work as artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear collection, a role he held since March 2018, while continuing to run Off-White, which he founded in 2012. 

“We never had the ‘this is the legacy that I want you to work toward’ discussion,” Shannon told The New York Times. “But because I was with him for so long, I knew every inch of him. I knew every inch of his brain.”

She revealed that multiple designers had approached her to help with Abloh’s incomplete projects. However, the 41-year-old mother of two feels solely responsible for carrying on what her late husband started. 

“It belongs to me. It belongs to his children,” Shannon explained before admitting that many people who weren’t as close to Abloh came forward after his death, claiming to be his “best friend” to “help his legacy.” She was not sold on these offers and instead chose to work closely with Abloh’s business advisor, Howard Feller, to maintain his creations. She has assumed the roles of chief executive and managing director at Virgil Abloh Securities.

“I have to stay on this train because if I don’t, I don’t know where it’s going to go. That’s my place and my position,” she added. 

Off-White x Nike products remain in production, while Louis Vuitton continues to showcase Abloh’s creations and visions through exhibits and capsules.