Virgil Abloh, the artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear collection and the CEO of the Off-White label, is dead.

Mr Abloh died aged 41.

He had been battling cancer for long.

The news of his demise was announced by high fashion luxury house, LVMH on Twitter.

“LVMH, Louis Vuitton and Off White are devastated to announce the passing of Virgil Abloh, on Sunday, November 28th, of cancer, which he had been battling privately for several years,” the fashion house tweeted on Sunday evening. 

According to the statement, Mr Abloh “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.”

Mr Abloh joined Vuitton in March 2018, and his first show in June 2018 marked a new chapter for high  fashion, where luxury brands began taking up streetwear and athleisure. 

Mr Abloh broke onto the high fashion scene in 2009, with an internship at Fendi alongside American rapper Kanye West. He and Mr West then began an artistic collaboration that saw Mr Abloh launch Off-White.

In 2018, Mr Abloh was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.