Only the Power of Virgil Abloh Could Revive One of Fashion's Great Lost Retailers
Pioneering concept store colette was one of the earliest supporters of Virgil Abloh right up until the day it closed. So, it’s only right that the much-lauded (and much-missed) Parisian boutique return for a huge Parisian retrospective on Abloh.
On September 30, the Grand Palais in Paris opened its doors to Virgil Abloh: The Codes, a sprawling exhibition presenting the late fashion designer's 20,000-object archive. These are prototypes, sketches, objects, images, and creations from Abloh's personal collection, charting his career from founding the streetwear art-project PYREX VISION to becoming Louis Vuitton's menswear artistic director.
Even the exhibit's museum shop is a piece of art. A shoppable installation by colette, the influential retailer co-founded by Sarah Andelman, will be on site.
According to a press release, it will act as “a living artwork and functioning shop.”
This one-time-only reopening of colette will feature collaborations designed by Abloh’s closest collaborators, limited edition merch, and reruns of previously released Abloh creations.
The collaborators include everyone from musician Travis Scott to Cactus Plant Flea Market to DJ-turned-clothing collective BEEN TRILL, founded by Heron Preston, Virgil Abloh, and Matthew Williams, which itself had previously gone the way of colette.
Other notable items available to shop include a reissue of Abloh's collaborative Braun alarm clock and a French-language translation of Larry Warsh’s book Abloh-isms.
“I hope to revive both the memory of Virgil's unique vision and colette’s atmosphere,” said Sarah Andelman, founder of Just an Idea and co-founder of colette.
That Andelman’s Parisian store stocked the third T-shirt Abloh ever made is a testament to both colette’s role in boosting young talent and Andelman’s eye for emerging talent.
After colette's closure in 2017, Andelman vowed never to attempt colette 2.0. Still, you can thank Abloh for giving the world colette 1.5.
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