Virgil Abloh is a household name in fashion and became a popular friend among celebrities. He was often spotted with a range of stars from the Hadid sisters to rapper Lil Uzi Vert. Virgil Abloh was a soul bursting with creativity. His contributions transformed the high fashion world, as well as the music world. He designed some of the most iconic album covers from Watch the Throne to LUV is Rage 2.
Virgil Abloh’s last show, “AN OCTOLOGY ACCORDING TO VIRGIL ABLOH”, for Louis Vuitton took place in Paris last week. Many artists came together to pay tribute to Abloh. Tyler, the Creator had the privilege of creating the soundtrack for his last show. He brought the performance to life through his compositions.
The show was about 20 minutes, fully instrumental until the last track. The Chineke! Orchestra played the whole show, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel. They were all seated at a huge table, with Dudamel at the head of the table, in the middle of the stage. There were waves of different sounds, from transcending and uplighting to old-school hip hop. At one point of the show, someone was drumming on bottles to give a similar sound to a triangle instrument.
The show ended with a rendition of Tyler, the Creator’s “See You Again” featuring Kali Uchis. Tyler made an appearance, riding a bike around the stage. Bright lights shined onto the models as they ran towards them, an uproar of applause from the audience. All the models and people that had a part in creating the show embraced each other. I teared up watching the video myself.
Tyler looked up to Virgil as an artist. He made music and sought approval from Virgil, and he was a “cheerleader” for Tyler. He inspired Tyler to appreciate his roots and not be afraid to be himself.
Here’s a link so you can see it for yourself. They say love is in the details, and this last show is a perfect portrayal of that passion. You can see Virgil’s vision in all the artistic choices, from the clothing to the stage design. Truly a beautiful tribute!
