Virgil Abloh Estate Drops Magazine With Archival Designs & Interviews

The late fashion designer Virgil Abloh, the creative director for Louis Vuitton and the founder of Off-White who passed away in 2021 at the age of 41, was known as a visionary.

Championed by his friend Kanye West, Abloh was struck down by cancer well before his time. But his legacy lives on through his estate, which is offering a free membership and releasing the publication The Virgil Reader Vol. 001 available for pre-orders now.

The Virgil Abloh Archive is a collection of 20,000 items related to his artistic approach and creative beliefs. The 256-page publication is an extension of that. It includes interviews Abloh did with magazines and outlets, including  032c, The Business of Fashion, Flash Art, GQ Style, Hypebeast, i-D, Kaleidoscope, Real Review, System Magazine, and Wallpaper, reprinted with their original layouts and artwork.

I-D editor Tom Bettridge wrote the foreword.

The reader will be introduced via a special two-day event in Los Angeles on March 14 and 15. It’s expected to include speakers, screenings and more.

The free membership offering includes an excerpt of the reader and a newsletter with other perks. The estate is also making a creative toolkit available for students, creators and others interested in the process behind Abloh’s work.

“Virgil believed deeply in sharing knowledge and opening doors. The Archive and Foundation are my commitment to carrying that forward, making his work accessible, contextualized, and meaningful for future generations,” Shannon Abloh, who runs the Estate, said in a statement obtained by Complex. “Through the launch of the Archive Membership and The Virgil Reader Vol. 001, we are inviting the public into that process, with moments of connection and collaboration still ahead.”

Volume 001 costs $55 with only 2,000 copies reportedly avialable. But the team knew demand would be high, so there’s a digital version that routinely updates. But in order to get access to that, you must submit a bio, links to your own work, and earn a chance to also win a pair of the Virgil Abloh Archives Air Jordan 1 “Alaska.”

Get a peek at a few of the pages below.