Ibrahim Kamara, heir to Virigil Abloh at the head of Off-White

Five months after the death of the streetwear icon, the creator of Off White, Virgil Abloh, it is the Sierra Leonean Ibrahim Kamara who inherited the post of artistic director at Off-White.

It was a surprising decision. The Milanese luxury streetwear brand Off-White, owned by Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH), has appointed Sierra Leonean Ibrahim Kamara as artistic director of the brand. The editor of Dazed magazine, who grew up in Gambia, replaces the artist who died last November, Virgil Abloh.

Read: Fashion: Virgil Abloh, the master of luxury streetwear, has died

Off-White announced the news last Saturday on Instagram. The fashion house explains that "Ibrahim's relationship with Virgil and Off-White, born and nurtured through private messages on Instagram, has blossomed both personally and professionally over the past three years."

Indeed, Ibrahim Kamara was a friend and collaborator of Abloh. The creator of the brand, whose death following a kept secret cancer shook the world of fashion, acted as a mentor for the young stylist and journalist.

Virgil Abloh was a symbol of street culture. Creator of concepts for music stars Kanye West and Jay-Z, and inventor of Off-White and Pyrex Vision, Abloh imposed the freshness of his style within the decrepit fashion community. Since its merger with Louis Vuitton, where he was the director of the men's division, luxury streetwear has conquered the luxury clothing market.

.@OffWht has found its new artistic leader to carry on the legacy of Virgil Abloh. https://t.co/czhwPhIQkX

—WWD (@wwd) May 1, 2022

Will Ibrahim Kamara be up to it?

It is therefore a heavy legacy that Ibrahim Kamara will have to bear, who says he is “honored” to have been chosen for the task. In the first place, he will have to direct the release of the spring-summer collection, which is still long overdue. Above all, since Abloh's death, Off-White has struggled to innovate. And Kamara will therefore have to take matters into her own hands.

Ibrahim Kamara will not be alone. He will "join a select group of designers", according to the fashion house. The executive director of the brand, Andrea Grilli, reassures: “Ibrahim was part of the Off-White family for several years already. With his talent and vision, we look forward to evolving into the next Off-White chapter together, keeping in mind the boundless creativity and values ​​dear to Virgil.”

31-year-old Ibrahim Kamara had previously worked for Dior and Burberry. He has also been editor-in-chief of the fashion magazine Dazed since February 2021. He has also worked with many artists, such as Madonna and Rihanna.

Ibrahim Kamara, stylist and Editor-In-Chief of “Dazed” magazine, on working with Rihanna for the September issue: “I don't often work with celebrities […] but Rihanna is an exception. She is someone who always takes a risk.” https://t.co/LpzZZEgyyF pic.twitter.com/ICPcLgHqaO

- Fenty Headlines (@FentyHeadlines) September 15, 2021