Virgil Abloh, after presenting the Spring Summer 2021 Louis Vuitton Collection in Shanghai, concludes his manifesto “Message in a Bottle“ in Tokyo. An ode to unity, diversity and individuality, and mantra of the moment. The collection is a step forward in his journey as the creative director of Louis Vuitton Menswear and opens new possibilities.
“We started dialling into our heritage,” Abloh says. “This is why the collection is important, it comes from who designed it.” The references to his Ghanian, Black American, and Afrofuturist cultures are visible throughout the collection, from the literal flag prints to more abstract expressions. “Ghana’s a country that has its own DNA and has its own culture, and as I’ve gotten older, I realize it’s a bottomless source of inspiration to bring forth to the world.”
Abloh explains that this collection was a manifesto dedicated to inclusivity, colour, his commitment to unity, diversity and individuality. The designer also shares his commitment to hiring people from all communities, from BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) and LGBTQ+. Abloh was inspired by his own son too with a connection point between Marc Jacobs’s spring 2005 LV menswear collection with a stuffed teddy bear with the LV monogram printed all over.
