Stars and fashion insiders are paying tribute to Virgil Abloh, the visionary designer who founded Off-White and most recently helmed Louis Vuitton's menswear, after he passed away on Sunday.

A statement posted to Abloh's official Instagram account revealed that he had been privately battling cardiac angiosarcoma, a "rare, aggressive" form of cancer. "Through it all, his work ethic, infinite curiosity, and optimism never wavered," the statement read. "Virgil was driven by his dedication to his craft and to his mission to open doors for others and create pathways for greater equality in art and design. He often said, 'Everything I do is for the 17-year-old version of myself,' believing deeply in the power of art to inspire future generations."

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In an interview with Harper's BAZAAR earlier this year, Abloh reflected on the responsibility that comes with his massive platform. "I own my space, and I try to use fashion to build bridges so that there's an evolution happening with the resources at hand," he said. "We can both learn from each other and spread messages to millions of people. I want to see the adjacency increase between those who have a platform and those doing the work."

Ahead, the fashion industry, celebrities, and people who loved him remember the prolific designer.

Beyoncé

In a statement posted to her website, Beyoncé shared a black-and-white photo of Abloh, as well as a touching note about his legacy.

"We will forever honor you, Virgil," she wrote. "Thank you for inspiring an entire generation."

Frank Ocean

screenshot of frank ocean's instagram story, white text on top of photo of frank and virgil at the met gala
Instagram

The singer posted a heartfelt message dedicated to Abloh on his Instagram Story.

"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," he wrote over a photo of the two laughing together at this year's Met Gala. "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."

Kanye West

The rapper, a friend and longtime collaborator of Abloh, dedicated his latest Sunday Service to the designer's memory by having a church choir sing an acoustic rendition of Adele's "Easy on Me."

Samira Nasr

Harper's BAZAAR's editor in chief shared a touching note dedicated to Abloh.

"Gentle, kind, brilliant, prolific, warm, larger-than-life. There will never be another," Samira Nasr wrote. "Rest in power, King Virgil. You made us all better."

Aurora James

The Brother Vellies founder remembered her contemporary in a touching tribute posted to Instagram.

"Thank you for giving us so much when you owed us nothing at all," James wrote. "Your legacy lives within all of us now."

Nicolas Ghesquière

screenshot of instagram story, photo of virgil with his fist up with text over it that reads, an unspeakable loss rest in power virgil
Instagram


Louis Vuitton's creative director shared a snap of Abloh on his Instagram Story, writing over the photo, "An unspeakable loss. Rest in power Virgil."

Tyler, the Creator

Posting a slideshow of photos of Abloh, the rapper shared an emotional tribute on Instagram.

"Sometimes, part of us sharing our wild ideas is to get approval from our peers to keep it pushing, but virgil was ALWAYS a cheerleader. For everyone," he wrote. "That hand of his opened doors, lead people in and tossed the keys outside for the next person to have."

Gigi Hadid

The supermodel, who has walked the runway for multiple Off-White shows, posted a slideshow of photos of the late designer.

"I am heartbroken by the loss of my dear friend, and a friend to the world, Virgil Abloh," she wrote in the caption. "His kindness and energetic generosity left a lasting impression on every life he touched— he made everyone feel seen and special."

Marc Jacobs

"Rest In Peace and in Power dear Virgil," the designer wrote to Abloh on Instagram. "My heartfelt condolences to your loved ones- your family, your friends, and your coworkers."

Ruba Abu-Nimah

The creative director of Tiffany & Co. shared a black-and-white portrait of the late designer on Instagram.

Bella Hadid

The model shared multiple posts on Instagram in tribute to Abloh.

"The way he made a positive impact on anything he touched, and always pushed for his culture/the world is the reason why he was an angel on earth and one to so many," Hadid wrote. "The most beautiful warrior soul. I can't believe this."

Hailey Bieber

Hailey Bieber, whose 2019 wedding dress was designed by Abloh, shared photos of the two together on Instagram.

"Virgil completely changed the way I looked at street style and fashion, the way he looked at things inspired me deeply," the model wrote. "I will never be able to fully express how grateful I am to have known him and worked with him, from walking on his runways to having him design my wedding dress and all the other amazing moments in between, I felt he was always rooting for me."

Kendall Jenner

The model shared a series of photos of Abloh to her Instagram account.

"V taught me and all of us a very important lesson, although he knew he had only so long, he was bright, he was kind & he was full of love," Jenner wrote. "We all need a little bit of Virgil in us."

Phillip Lim

On Instagram, the designer posted a screenshot from a text exchange between him and Abloh.

"This screen grab is of a text chain from this past summer that we were on when i asked him and @ruba [the creative director of Tiffany & Co.] to co-sign the #stopasianhate initiative I was working on and without missing a beat he leaned right in and offered his support and ally ship- as consistent in character as day 1," he wrote. "We lost a guardian of culture, fashion, and of humanity today."

Gabriella Karefa-Johnson

The stylist shared a series of screenshots featuring DMs from Abloh, which read in part, "It's in our DNA to birth the new versions of us."

"He made it to the very top of the mountain and he reached down to bring so many along for the ride," Gabriella Karefa-Johnson wrote in the caption. "He set up systems to foster community, to educate, to give access to the very worlds that excluded so many for so long. He set up a future for us. He WAS the future."

Stella McCartney

The British designer shared a photo of herself and Abloh to Instagram.

"My time knowing you was brief, but you hit me hard with a bolt of deeply inspired impact, true talent and a desire to bring a better meaning to the world of fashion and design," she wrote in the caption.

Spike Lee

The director shared a photo of himself and Abloh on Instagram, as well as a heartfelt note reflecting on Abloh's legacy.

"He Shook Up DA World,Changed DA Sneaker Game,Damn He Changed DA Fashion Game PERIOD," he wrote.

Cynthia Erivo


The actress and singer paid tribute to the late designer on Instagram.

"A true creative, a visionary, a dreamer, an example of impossible possibilities," she wrote. "Rest well Virgil."

Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber posted a photo of himself and Abloh deejaying to Instagram.

Christian Siriano


The designer posted a touching tribute to Abloh on Instagram.

Patti Smith

"This is a visionary gone to soon," the singer wrote on Instagram. "Visionary lines. A visionary game. A visionary mind. A visionary name."

Evan Mock

On Instagram, the Gossip Girl actor posted a message that read, "You never know what someone is battling in private. Be kind, respect and love eachother-life is too short, we only have one experience in these bodies."

Headshot of Chelsey Sanchez
Chelsey Sanchez
Digital Associate Editor

As an associate editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com, Chelsey keeps a finger on the pulse on all things celeb news. She also writes on social movements, connecting with activists leading the fight on workers' rights, climate justice, and more. Offline, she’s probably spending too much time on TikTok, rewatching Emma (the 2020 version, of course), or buying yet another corset.