Virgil Abloh’s Legacy Is Inspiring a Generation of Students to Collaborate
Virgil Abloh was a serial collaborator. The late Off-White™ founder and Louis Vuitton Men’s creative director put his stamp on practically every consumer good imaginable. Cars, water bottles, sneakers, kettles, snowboards, turntables: you name it, and chances are Virgil Abloh collaborated on it.
Through the Virgil Abloh™ “Post Modern” Scholarship Fund — launched in 2020 to provide scholarships to fashion students of academic promise from Black, African-American, or African descent — a new generation is able to follow in his footsteps. And we asked them to create T-shirts based on the theme of collaborations.
Discover a selection of their designs below, including one that’s being released as part of Highsnobiety’s 20th anniversary celebration: Ahmrii Johnson’s, which features a large acrylic painting that, in her words, “explores the deep connection between collaboration and community throughout the Caribbean diaspora.”
Lauryn Giddings
For Black Americans and Africans, expression has been braided into our scalps for thousands of years. Braids have connected hundreds of communities together, even if separated by oceans. During the period of American chattel slavery, Black Americans used braids to map out landscapes and routes to escape to freedom.
Kaitlyn Gilliam
This design demonstrates the moving pieces that make us who we are and celebrates
the beauty of community. Collaboration is about shaping one another. The collage of images mirrors this reality, emphasizing that we are not monolithic stories, but intricate compositions of every relationship, tradition, and memory we carry.
Baiyinah Ings
I want this graphic to be more than just art — it's a statement about the value of cultural diversity, the harmony of collective ambition, and the creative energy that unites us all. Through this design, I hope to inspire others to hustle in harmony and embrace the beauty of our shared humanity.
Ahmrii Johnson
The title [of my work], The Worst in Me, speaks to the idea that true community is built on the willingness to embrace imperfection. Real connection happens when people see the flaws and vulnerabilities in each other and still choose to work together.
Ryane Johnson
In an era where digital interactions often replace physical keepsakes, this project taps into a longing for tangible memories. It transforms clothing into a canvas for collective storytelling, where friends, chosen family, and communities leave behind pieces of themselves .
Tiana McCarthy
My design represents how we, the people, creatives, educators, business owners, create the culture. Our 1 of 1 fingerprints, when intersected with others, create a never-before-seen collaboration and that is how we leave an imprint.
Jaidyn Mccullough
Green, often associated with growth, renewal, and progress, mirrors the process of collaboration itself, where diverse ideas and voices unite to create something greater than the sum of its parts.
Kaylani Temple
My design, entitled "Convergence," represents the collaborative spirit at the heart of the fashion industry. The design features multiple hands reaching towards a central vortex. They represent the collective energy and talent that fuels innovation within the industry.
Jakarie Whitaker
The fragmented yet interconnected figures represent individuals coming together to form a unified structure, mirroring the way collaboration fuses different skills, perspectives, and disciplines into a cohesive vision.
Neena Bui
I initially defined collaboration as the achievement of a shared goal. Further brainstorming and journaling about the topic has allowed me to see the nature of collaboration in everything. It’s in building a brand, forming a band, having a party, building a city, a creative collective. It’s in sex and birth; it’s yin yang.
Mallory Butts
To generate collaboration, we must start first with love, respect, and unity. A hand
slap to closed fist greeting could be the sign of two people seeing each other’s diversity
and unifying their differences.
Emonie Coleman
My design, “Where Fashion Meets Culture,” captures the cultural essence of collaboration by fusing minimalist aesthetics with a bold cultural statement. The use of clean typography and a monochrome palette aligns with the quiet luxury movement, emphasizing that true impact doesn’t always need excess.
Zachary Crawford
Creativity flourishes when shared, and my puzzle piece T-shirt design embodies this philosophy. This concept illustrates how individuals, each with their unique talents, skills, and perspectives, contribute to something greater when they come together.
Bliss-Nurah Mack
Whether in design, craft, or everyday life, collaboration strengthens outcomes, fosters learning, and can build community. Passing the tool represents an exchange of effort and support, reinforcing the truth that we are stronger together.
Bryce McAllister
The ability to nurture an idea for so long it requires your undivided, unconditional attention is incredibly powerful. You pour in years of your life into something you are so passionate about that it is immeasurable. And yet, this wonderful privilege we have as people can’t come to fruition without the help of those around us.
Gabrielle Moore
I chose the Adinkra symbol for "Unity in Diversity" as the foundation of my design. This Ghanaian symbol embodies the strength found in difference and the necessity of coming together. In an era where divisions often seem emphasized, this symbol serves as a reminder and a call to action: that collaboration is not about sameness, but about the power of diverse perspectives.
Jazminé Morrow
Sixta Street was more than a collection; it was me living my grandma Sixta's dream of becoming a fashion designer and honoring our heritage. The collaboration between generations is powerful — without her insight and passion, this collection wouldn't exist. It was a way to bridge her experiences with my creative vision to tell a story of culture, family, and fashion.
Samuel Stern
One of my favorite jobs I’ve had was being a cook at a Quaker retreat center called Pendle Hill. This community’s sole purpose is collaboration at such a deep level, whether that is harvesting produce or coming together for worship, and I really wanted that to be reflected in my design.
Mya Wright
Virgil is collaboration. He rarely worked alone and focused on building strong relationships. In collaboration, perspectives are challenged. His philosophy was to modify designs by 3%, to break barriers between high fashion and street culture, and to challenge ideas.
Amaya Evans
My shirt design centers around an all-over repeated print of the Highsnobiety logo. These color variations directly correspond to specific collaborations Highsnobiety has featured on its magazine covers, acting as a visual "who's who" of collaborative partners.
