Virgil Abloh’s death causes sales spikes, price hikes – Sonoma State Star

When it comes to high-end fashion, there is a list of recognizable designers, but none have the same recognition as Virgil Abloh. He is also beloved in the fashion and streetwear culture, and many were devastated to learn that he had passed away while privately battling angiosarcoma, a form of heart cancer. , November 28, 2021. Virgil left a massive impression in the fashion and streetwear industry by creating his own unique style which has been showcased in his coveted products that he and other companies have co-released.

Abloh was the founder of Off-White and the Creative Director of Louis-Vuitton, two coveted names in the fashion industry. Before becoming a household name in the fashion world, Abloh was the creator of his own fashion company named Pyrex. Although these were the beginnings of a savvy designer, Abloh eventually created Off-White, which made him famous.

Under its growing name at the time, Off-White continued to gain traction in the industry. It grew so much that Abloh, with his new IP, collaborated with Nike to release a set of sneakers called “The Ten”. These sneakers are ten different, yet iconic, silhouettes of Nike shoes, ranging from Jordan 1, Air Maxes, Blazers and other streetwear shoes that involved a unique partial deconstruction design, with design changes added to the silhouette patterns of the shoes.

After its release, ‘The Ten’ catapulted Off-White, along with its creative founder, Abloh, into fashion stardom. The shoes were not only in high demand, but they also cemented the style that Abloh had become known for. The collaboration paved the way for Abloh’s success in streetwear and fashion, so other companies like Ikea and Louis Vuitton collaborated with the designer, which ultimately led Virgil to take the lead in the creation of Louis Vuitton.

The recognition Virgil has achieved in the fashion world in such a short period of time makes him a well-known face in the industry. He had been battling cancer since 2019, but he continued to issue press releases for businesses. Her work ethic alone has helped solidify her name as an icon.

“He has had an undoubtedly huge impact in the fashion world, and without

Virgil, streetwear wouldn’t be far from where it is now, ”Kristof Zador, chief designer of European streetwear brand earthT1, told Instagram. Zador explains in more detail what makes Abloh different from other designers in the industry, citing his way of thinking outside the box.

Kristof declares: “[Abloh] introduced all this magical world to young people as well, and personally I couldn’t name anyone in the near past who single-handedly transformed the fashion world. Virgil did just that.

Although Abloh was battling cancer, he kept his health a secret, so when he passed it took his friends and fans by surprise. Prices and demand for all the products Virgil put out in his lifetime, whether street clothes, shoes or sundries, have skyrocketed on retailer aftermarket websites. .

According to an aftermarket parts website StockX, one of the most coveted sneakers it has ever released, the Off-White Chicago Air Jordan 1, originally sold for between $ 4,000 and $ 5,000, but is recently increased to $ 9,000 just hours after his death. announcement.

It didn’t stop there. A whole slew of products with some connection to its name or brand have increased almost 5 times its original retail price after its initial release, while resale prices have doubled or even tripled. , their replacement prices.

This blatant rise in prices by scalpers has led many to react with disgust or disappointment. “Some will be very inaccessible and others will be more accessible. Which is unfair because all of his shoes should be sold at a reasonable price in the aftermarket.”

Korte comments on this sudden surge in aftermarket prices by simply stating, “That’s the nature of the beast. This is happening in all sectors. This comment is similar to how Zador explains this display of capitalism in his interview, stating that “it is business and money that we are talking about, but for me it still cannot be more important than respect and morality. People are different, and their values ​​are different, that’s for sure.

For many, it is appalling that a person’s first thought when they see an important character unexpectedly disappear is to immediately set the price of a product associated with that character two or three times the price for which it is. bought it. It is immoral and taking advantage of someone’s death to profit from it.

However, there are Instagram resellers like sactownsneakers, sneakerresellx, rangerskickoff, and others who are showing their respect by suspending all sales of anything associated with Off-White when news of Abloh’s death broke. It is the right thing to do.

It is surprising that aftermarket sites like eBay, Stockx, and Goat even allow sales of such a product and take no temporary action. Morally, it would be in their interests to at least temporarily suspend this type of price increase, if only for a few days.

As negative as Abloh’s handling of the death of the resale and scalping culture is, it makes you think about the extent of the impact he will leave in the culture of fashion and streetwear. Zador puts it best, saying: “If we look at creations 10 years from now and we still see a demand for them, then its impact and importance will be truly undeniable, even for those who do not recognize it yet.”