CULTURE

Givenchy Confirms: Virgil Abloh Will Not Be the Brand’s New Creative Director

But the Off-White designer’s dream is to one day helm a luxury fashion house.


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Kristy Sparow/Getty Images

When designer Riccardo Tisci announced that he was leaving Givenchy after 12 years, the rumor mill suggested that Off-White designer Virgil Abloh was in the running.

Much to hypebeasts’ dismay, the French fashion house set the record straight in a statement to Women’s Wear Daily, which previously put forth the possibility that Abloh would be joining the brand. As it turns out, the designer, who cut his teeth as Kanye West’s creative director, was never offered the job by Givenchy. “Mr. Abloh was not approached by the house and is not to join the organization,” a rep told WWD.

So who will have the daunting task of replacing Riccardo Tisci? Apparently, Givenchy’s next hire for creative head will be announced soon. “Givenchy’s new creative organization will be communicated shortly,” a rep told WWD.

If you were rooting for Abloh to take over Givenchy or at least one storied house or another, all hope is not lost. The designer, who has carved out a new kind of trajectory in the industry since launching his Off-White line in 2013, isn’t ruling out the possibility of heading a fashion house like Givenchy one day. In fact, he’s working towards it. “My trajectory is to update and provide something new in the fashion industry by way of creating a project and using it as a case study on how to update a luxury house,” he told WWD when the rumor first broke, though he has since declined to comment. With a proven label of his own, an impressive resume, and the non-stop game of designer musical chairs, it seems like it may only be a matter of time until he gets that chance somewhere else.

Off-White Is Here to Outfit All the Art Dads

Backstage before the presentation of Off-White’s A/W 2017 collection, in Paris.

Photo by Portia Hunt.

Backstage before the presentation of Off-White’s A/W 2017 collection, in Paris.

Photo by Portia Hunt.

Backstage before the presentation of Off-White’s A/W 2017 collection, in Paris.

Photo by Portia Hunt.

Backstage before the presentation of Off-White’s A/W 2017 collection, in Paris.

Photo by Portia Hunt.

Backstage before the presentation of Off-White’s A/W 2017 collection, in Paris.

Photo by Portia Hunt.

Backstage before the presentation of Off-White’s A/W 2017 collection, in Paris.

Photo by Portia Hunt.

Backstage before the presentation of Off-White’s A/W 2017 collection, in Paris.

Photo by Portia Hunt.

Backstage before the presentation of Off-White’s A/W 2017 collection, in Paris.

Photo by Portia Hunt.

Backstage before the presentation of Off-White’s A/W 2017 collection, in Paris.

Photo by Portia Hunt.

Backstage before the presentation of Off-White’s A/W 2017 collection, in Paris.

Photo by Portia Hunt.

Backstage before the presentation of Off-White’s A/W 2017 collection, in Paris.

Photo by Portia Hunt.

Backstage before the presentation of Off-White’s A/W 2017 collection, in Paris.

Photo by Portia Hunt.

Backstage before the presentation of Off-White’s A/W 2017 collection, in Paris.

Photo by Portia Hunt.

Backstage before the presentation of Off-White’s A/W 2017 collection, in Paris.

Photo by Portia Hunt.

Backstage before the presentation of Off-White’s A/W 2017 collection, in Paris.

Photo by Portia Hunt.

Backstage before the presentation of Off-White’s A/W 2017 collection, in Paris.

Photo by Portia Hunt.

Backstage before the presentation of Off-White’s A/W 2017 collection, in Paris.

Photo by Portia Hunt.

Backstage before the presentation of Off-White’s A/W 2017 collection, in Paris.

Photo by Portia Hunt.

Backstage before the presentation of Off-White’s A/W 2017 collection, in Paris.

Photo by Portia Hunt.

Backstage before the presentation of Off-White’s A/W 2017 collection, in Paris.

Photo by Portia Hunt.

Backstage before the presentation of Off-White’s A/W 2017 collection, in Paris.

Photo by Portia Hunt.

Backstage before the presentation of Off-White’s A/W 2017 collection, in Paris.

Photo by Portia Hunt.

Backstage before the presentation of Off-White’s A/W 2017 collection, in Paris.

Photo by Portia Hunt.

Backstage before the presentation of Off-White’s A/W 2017 collection, in Paris.

Photo by Portia Hunt.

Backstage before the presentation of Off-White’s A/W 2017 collection, in Paris.

Photo by Portia Hunt.

Backstage before the presentation of Off-White’s A/W 2017 collection, in Paris.

Photo by Portia Hunt.

Backstage before the presentation of Off-White’s A/W 2017 collection, in Paris.

Photo by Portia Hunt.

Backstage before the presentation of Off-White’s A/W 2017 collection, in Paris.

Photo by Portia Hunt.

Backstage before the presentation of Off-White’s A/W 2017 collection, in Paris.

Photo by Portia Hunt.

Backstage before the presentation of Off-White’s A/W 2017 collection, in Paris.

Photo by Portia Hunt.
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