OFF-WHITE BOOK

"OFF-WHITE"

"Defining the grey area between Black and White"

OFF-WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh

OFF-WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh

2018 Š "In-Class Event"

OFF-WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh

"OFF-WHITE" "This project will research into Off-Whites histrory analysing their key focus points in wich the equity and visual identity come to gether from brands personality, while also assessing how their advertisements meet the needs of customers"

"BY: FIGO KOLSTEREN"

"CONTENTS" ABOUT VIRGIL

HISTORY BRANDSTORY UNIQUE SOCIAL MEDIA SPECIAL PROJECTS COLLABORATIONS PHYSICAL RETAIL

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OFF-WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh 4.

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OFF-WHITE is a fashion label founded by DJ and fashion designer Virgil Abloh. The current designs range from patchwork to graphic t-shirts, and all of them feature the company’s now trademark stripes, noticeably embossed on its back along with its name “WHITE.” As well as, being carried by various retailers worldwide, OFF-WHITE opened its first location and flagship store in Hong Kong.

OFF-WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh

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OFF-WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh

ABOUT VIRGIL "BEFORE FAME"

In 2002, he graduated with a degree in civil engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

He then went on to earn his master’s in architecture from the Illinois Institute of Technology.

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"FAMILY"

His parents immigrated to the U.S. from Ghana and raised him in Chicago, Illinois. He married his wife Shannon in 2009.

"CAREER"

After working for an architecture firm for two years, Abloh shifted his focus to fashion.

In 2009, he founded RSVP Gallery, an art gallery and menswear boutique in Chicago. That same year, he joined Kanye West’s creative agency Donda as creative director, overseeing projects like stage shows and concert merchandise.

OFF-WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh

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HISTORY

OFF-WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh

"PYREX"

IN 2012, Virgil Abloh launches his first brand, Pyrex Vision, with its large collegiate lettering, looked very similar to what would later become OFF-WHITE. He purchased deadstock Ralph Lauren flannel shirts for $40 each, and screen printed them with the word Pyrex and the number 23, an homage to his childhood hero, Michael Jordan. They sell for $550 each.

Virgil Abloh closed the company down a year later. Altough Pyrex only lasted one year, Virgil believes that is was integral to his future succes and it created a platform and an audience for Abloh’s next step OFF-WHITE

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OFF-WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh

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OFF-WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh

"NAME & IDENTITY"

BRANDSTORY

The brand name “OFF-WHITE” originate from “defining the grey area between black and white as the color Off-White” Meaning that his purpose is to make clothing trendy while at the same time being unique in its own way. Off-White is an exemple of how effective logo’s are. When the brand name is covered on the clothing people can still tell it’s off white, because of the use of diagonal lines, the quotations and the limited colour scheme.

"BRAND MISSION"

To bring the worlds of streetwear and high fashion together by exploring the concepts of branding, the Zeitgeist and expression of the youth culture in the contemporary moment

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"BRAND VISION"

Off-White’s vision and values change every season along with the merchendise. Abloh expersses his, feelings, opinions and observations through the clothing collections. The aeshetic of OffWhite clothing is highly relevant to current culture and at a suitable taste level for the market

"BRAND VALUES"

Abloh has expressed that Off-White doesn’t fit into the “high end, contemporary or streetwear “ catogories fashion provides. The Off-White brand is “between black and white”, wich gives him a creative license to explore diffirent aspects of the fashion industry.

OFF-WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh

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UNIQUE "PACKAGING"

Even the packaging from Off-White is unique, every garment comes in an industrial looking see through bag with diagonal lines printed on it. Every garment also contains a zip-tie with the brand’s trade mark on it. This gives the brand that little extra touch that other brands don’t have.

For instance, Virgil doesn’t have to put the brand name on the package because you just see it is Off-White. Whereas Gucci an Louis Vuitton always have to put their name as a seal on the products

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OFF-WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh

OFF-WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh

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OFF-WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh

SOCIAL MEDIA

"INSTAGRAM"

The way Off-White advertises diffirent than other clothing brands, because simply Off-White doesn’t. For Off-White Instagram is more important than anything else. Instagram is full with pictures of the so called “Hypebeasts” wearing off white.

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"Hypebeast"

"Hypebeast is a slang for someone who is a beast (obsessed) about the hype (in fashion), and will do whatever it takes to obtain that desired hype. The term is meant to be derogatory by ridiculing of such with a lack of style. Hyped up brands sell their products for a price more than the average clothing company and can be seen re-sold along the internet for a price much greater than retail due to the fact that it is either exclusive, or somewhat limited. Yes, even when it was worn"

OFF-WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh

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OFF-WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh

SPECIAL PROJECTS "INDUSTRIAL BY NATURE"

"DON’T LOOK DOWN"

"GREEN HOUSE"

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OFF-WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh

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OFF-WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh

COLLABORATIONS "COLLABORATIONS"

"OFF WHITE X UMBRO"

Virgil has worked with many popular brands and well-known designers throughout his career including Ronnie Fieg, Nike, Hiroshi Fujiwara, Vans, Umbro, and more.

The Nike x Off-White collab is the most known because in every drop there is a pair of shoes wich will be really limited.

"OFF WHITE X MONCLER"

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"OFF WHITE X NIKE"

OFF-WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh

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OFF-WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh

PHYSICAL RETAIL "STORE’S"

Each store has a very different aeshetic without going off brand or making the brand image confusing. the on-going theme within the stores is space and lack of clutter. The products are merchendised on clothes rails with plenty of space between them. Another noticable similaritu is the use of diagonal lines, wich is a key aspect of Off-White recognised by the audience

"BANGKOK"

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"NEW YORK"

OFF-WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh

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OFF-WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh

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OFF-WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh

OFF-WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh