Off-White was rebranded in 2012 by fashion maverick Virgil Abloh and, as we saw, quickly became one of the most popular labels in the industry. Both Off-White and Louis Vuitton menswear flourished under Abloh’s leadership – his leadership and his vision disrupted the fashion industry from the runway to the streets, dismantling the control that fashion gatekeepers historically had in this space. His sudden death at such a young age in 2021 has obviously resulted in major challenges for his brand. 

 

Ib Kamara was appointed as Art & Image Director of Off-White in 2022 and after a quiet year to reorganise, we have seen an Off-White resurgence over the last couple months, especially since it was announced in December that Off-White would return to Paris Fashion Week this month. 

 

Preceding the presentation of the latest collection, it was a huge moment for Ib Kamara and the brand when Usher performed at the Super Bowl in five custom Off-White looks and then just last weekend, it was Colman Domingo on the SAG Awards red carpet, the best dressed of the night, in a custom Off-White fit. 

 

These are major momentum builders for a brand that is reasserting itself – with support from some big names who showed up today for the show, led by Serena Williams.  

Virgil and Serena were super close so she was there to honour his memory and also, with her presence, ensure that his legacy lives on. 

 

You can see Serena in some of the pieces that were shown today on the catwalk but also on some of the other guests, like Willow Smith’s sporty tank under her varsity jacket, and Halle Bailey’s dress which could totally be a tennis dress, but leveled up for style. 

What made Off-White during Virgil’s time so appealing though was that it combined the coolness of athleisure with the quality and structure of more formal attire. That’s reflected in Latto’s fit – a beautifully cut blazer over what looks like a functional skort/skirt. 

It’ll be interesting, then, to see where Off-White goes from here. During Virgil’s reign, the celebrities were all over Off-White and that added to its global appeal. The celebrities appear to be showing up again for Off-White now, and going forward, with several major events on the schedule, including the Oscars and the Met Gala, I’m curious to see how much of a presence Off-White will have now that they’re clearly pushing forward with a fresh strategy.