Virgil Abloh started the clothing brand Off White in 2012 and quickly became the street-smart alternative of international luxury fashion.
He has been called the master of collabs for his many collaborations with other fashion brands but also artists, especially with rap star Kanye West who he has worked closely with over the past decade.
In 2018, he became artistic director of the fashion house Louis Vuitton's men's collection - the first black person in the post.
For the past two years, he has struggled with an aggressive form of cancer that he has chosen not to go public with.
His death has shocked the fashion world and many fellow fashion designers, artists and models express their grief on social media - among them Marc Jacobs, Drake, Helene Christinsen, Bella Hadid and Kanye West.
Virgil Abloh turned 41 years old.