4K [articletop] Kanye West has publicly admitted to feeling betrayed when his protégé, Virgil Abloh, was appointed as Artistic Director of Louis Vuitton Menswear in 2018—a position Kanye believed was meant for him. In earlier conversations, Kanye granted Virgil credit as a visionary, but once Virgil landed the LV role, Kanye felt blindsided. He claimed LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault had initially offered him the position before choosing Abloh, and that Virgil’s “two-minute” call notifying him of the news deepened the sense of betrayal. Kanye described an intense emotional turmoil tied to this appointment. The two friends famously embraced in tears at Virgil’s debut LV show in 2018, but Kanye later called that moment a façade masking deeper wounds. In a 2022 interview with Clique TV, Kanye reflected on feeling “pain and jealousy,” suggesting Virgil had used their friendship—and ties with other high-profile artists like Drake—to elevate his own status. But Kanye’s despise for Virgil goes beyond that of just jealous brothers, years after his death, Kanye would make a joke amongst his peers stating “I need to use the bathroom, where is Virgil’s grave!” a controversial joke that made it’s circles but didn’t really go viral due to other controversies surrounding the rapper. Watch below. Multiple Designers Allege Virgil Abloh Copied Their Work But a number of people in the industry also had negative sentiments with the fashion mogul and this has been due to his copycat style of work. Alongside Kanye’s emotional response, several respected designers accused Abloh of copying their distinct creations: Walter Van Beirendonck (Antwerp Six) publicly called Abloh a “copycat,” claiming the Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2021 collection mirrored his 2016–2018 Fall/Winter designs—particularly the plush figures and colour palettes. He dismissed Abloh as lacking his own creative signature (hypebae.com, inverse.com). Michelle Elie accused Abloh of copying her son’s 2018 runway designs during Off-White’s Fall/Winter 2019 show in Paris (hypebae.com). Fashion analysis blog Diet Prada highlighted similarities between Abloh’s work and designs by indie brands like Colrs and designer A.G. Fronzoni—suggesting Abloh borrowed too heavily under the guise of his “three‑percent” design rule (newyorker.com). Abloh defended his creative process as a form of cultural sampling, likening it to DJ culture and citing Marcel Duchamp’s appropriation philosophy. He maintained that his inspirations—from Louis Vuitton’s 2005 archives to broader visual culture—were clearly acknowledged (gq.com). Despite the criticism, Abloh remained a transformative force, credited with revolutionizing sneaker culture through his iconic Nike “The Ten” collection and expanding streetwear’s influence in luxury fashion. This controversy highlights a deeper question within contemporary creativity: where does homage end and appropriation begin? For Kanye, it became deeply personal—feeling overshadowed by a former collaborator. For others in fashion, Abloh’s work raised issues around originality and creative ownership during an era where referencing and remixing existing ideas has become both celebrated and scrutinized. Ultimately, Virgil Abloh’s career—marked by both groundbreaking success and public critique—serves as a reflection of evolving norms in fashion breeding both innovation and contention. Read More Like This On Ghana Celebrity Watch VISIT OUR SHOP UPCOMING PRIORITY EVENTS! CLICK HERE FOR EVENTS [articlebottom]
VIDEO: Kanye West’s Joke About Urinating On Virgil Abloh’s Grave Explained
