Virgil Abloh, Louis Vuitton and Off White Designer, Dies at 41, Drake and Other Celebs Pay Tribute

• Fashion icon Virgil Abloh has died at the age of 41 after a long battle with a rare form of heart cancer, cardiac angiosarcoma
• The designer revolutionised street fashion for many around the world and celebs and fashion enthusiasts are lamenting the loss
• Drake, Hailey Bieber, Pharrell Williams and an array of other celebs have taken to social media to pay tribute to the famous designer

Virgil Abloh's death has left a hole in the hearts of fashion lovers across the globe. The Louis Vuitton and Off White designer succumbed to cancer after fighting the disease silently for three long years. Celebs got together to remember his influence on street fashion.

News24 reports that Virgil Abloh will forever hold legendary status in the fashion industry for his work merging high fashion, streetwear and music. Virgil made history when he became the very first black person to become a creative director at Louis Vuitton.

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The fashion icon did not always plan on venturing into the clothing world. He in fact studied to become an architect. After his ideas caught the attention of Kanye West, he was then hired as a creative director of his Yeezy brand. He then went on to work for Fendi and shortly after, he started his own brand Pyrex, which turned into the popular Off-White.

While his career was booming, Virgil was secretly battling a cancer diagnosis. TimesLIVE reports that Abloh found out about his cardiac angiosarcoma in 2019, just a year after he landed the big Lous Vuitton gig. A message shared by his loved ones on social media read:

"He chose to endure his battle privately since his diagnosis in 2019, undergoing numerous challenging treatments, all while helming several significant institutions that span fashion, art and culture."

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Complex reported that Drake was among the many celebs who were deeply touched by the death of Virgil Abloh. The rapper shared a touching tribute for the designer on his Instagram. Drake and Virgil were good friends and the world-famous designer curated Drake's $185 million watch.

Here is a look at some touching celeb tributes.

Mzansi celebs pay tribute to the late Michael K Williams, including DJ Black Coffee and Masasa Mbangeni

Briefly News reported that the entertainment industry was mourning the death of US actor Michael K Williams. The actor passed away at the age of 54 in his Williamsburg apartment. The news has shaken many around the world and local celebrities who knew Michael personally took to their socials to pay tribute.

Williams was discovered face-down in his dining room by a relative who went to go and check on him after he failed to show at an event he was expected to be at a few days prior. Upon discovering the actor, the relative made a call to emergency services to report a man who was "unresponsive" and "feels cold".

Although no official cause of death has been given, several US law enforcement officials were quoted saying they found what appeared to be heroin on his kitchen table, therefore bringing up suspicions of a possible drug overdose, reports OKMzansi.

Source: Briefly News