A CHAT WITH: Virgil Abloh by Deniz Arslan

A CHAT WITH

VIRGIL ABLOH WWW.FOURTHOUSAND.DK

PHOTO: VIRGILABLOH.COM

You have been to Copenhagen a couple of times. Do you know anything about the city? “I know that Rasmus owns a cool store here but no I haven’t spent enough time here yet.” What made you and Don Crawley open RSVP Galler y in 2009? “Don Crawley and I opened it in order to offer up the lifestyle we have been kind of travelling and shopping around the world, we wanted to bring that back to Chicago.” What is your favorite item at RSVP Galler y besides PYREX VISION and why? “Just Don hats because it’s designed by a good friend of mine, Don Crowley and it’s a heritage brand and has an eye to the future. Like luxur y sportswear is a categor y that I feel like he’s going to define and he already has with his hats.” How did you come up with the title: The Youth Always Wins? Was it guys like Travi$ Scott, Jalil Peraza and Ian Connor who inspired you? “Yes, a 100%. Like a lot of people think that I called the first collection ” The Youth Always Wins” based on myself. It’s more based on the kids that inspire me. A lot of times people assume that you have to be older, more accomplished to inspire yourself and I’m just more inspired by kids that were inspired by me. You know, inspired by the youth of New York city mainly the kids at Supreme, the kids that are rapping – you know, the kids that are doing their own visuals, these kids that are like 15 and doing their own tumblr’s are more inspirational to me than anything. So I wanted to say to all those who are following what I’m doing, I wanted to inspire them to do what I’m doing. I feel it’s important to know that like

ever yone can do what I do. So if you go to my tumblr and if you go follow me, know that you can do ever ything I do. That was why I called it ” The Youth Always Wins”. It’s not referring to me, It’s referring to the youth.” When did you get interested in clothes and fashion? “I would say I’m not even like.. I was just born like this – you know. Started skateboarding and was into skate brands. Started snowboarding and was into snowboarding brands. I’m into aesthetics of things, I’m a consumer and I buy. You know – I like stuff and I like to own it. So this is just an expression and it just happens to be clothes.. videos and stuff.” Tell me about the craziest thing you have experienced with the #Been #Trill crew. Where did it happen? “I saw a crazy fight in Sunset, LA. This kid like knocks somebody out. I saw Heron Preston jump over a Land Rover in one attempt and that was crazy. You know – life is crazy.” Name 3 things you always bring with you on tour. “I always got this big Hermes bag. You know – that is like my favorite thing that I own. I have my black MacBook and probably some beat up nike’s. Dirty shoes – I’m about that life!” Which songs or artist have you been listening to lately? “Probably all this new Travi$ Scott. His mixtape is going to be crazy. He’s the future, definitely. His mixtape is going to be the most anticipated and I think that he’s going to deliver.” WWW.FOURTHOUSAND.DK

DONDA has already created a couple of covers in the music industr y. Where do you see DONDA in the future? “Ever ywhere.” How would you describe your own style and taste in clothes? “I’m just ver y lifestyle oriented – you know. I tr y to dress in a certain way and I end up wearing the same black hoodie and the same black jeans and the same shoes! I’m in to collecting a lot of fashion pieces at the moment – but I really just wear the same clothes ever y day!”

Do you have anything to say to Storm and your Danish fans? “I appreciate the support. You know – I travel a lot and I sit with kids in New York and on Fairfax in LA and we are all really the same. So we are all a part of this larger community. That’s what’s cool! It’s not just the Danish community but like the worldwide community of kids. We are still a minority and tastemakers but I think when culture moves on, we are all going to be recognizing each other’s faces in different spaces, looking to each other’s tumblr’s even more – to do jobs that are important in fashion and culture.” WWW.FOURTHOUSAND.DK