Renowned fashion designer Virgil Abloh dies at 41 

Paris: Top US fashion designer Virgil Abloh, the artistic director of Louis Vuitton, has passed away after battling cancer for several years. He was 41.

The fashion and luxury house's French owners announced the news on twitter, saying that the designer had been "battling privately" the cancer for several years.

“LVMH, Louis Vuitton and Off White are devastated to announce the passing of Virgil Abloh, on Sunday, November 28th, of cancer, which he had been battling privately for several years,” the statement read.

LVMH, Louis Vuitton and Off White are devastated to announce the passing of Virgil Abloh, on Sunday, November 28th, of cancer, which he had been battling privately for several years. pic.twitter.com/CytwZLvSFu

— LVMH (@LVMH) November 28, 2021

Abloh, the first black American creative director of a top French fashion house, brought streetwear such as hoodies and sneakers to the catwalk. 

Virgil Abloh transcended the fashion world and his untimely death at the peak of his career sent shockwaves across the world, with tributes pouring in from rival design houses but also actors and sportspeople for a man seen as a deeply humane visionary.  

In 2018, Abloh was chosen to be artistic director of Louis Vuitton's menswear collection.

Off-White is known for its self-aware fashions, with many of its styles featuring product descriptions on them in quotes. 

LVMH also announced earlier this year it was taking a majority stake in the luxury streetwear label Off-White created by Abloh. LVMH took 60-percent stake in Off-White and Abloh  

Abloh was the first African-American designer for Louis Vuitton, a nearly 200-year-old French fashion house. 

Born in Chicago, he married Shannon Sundberg in 2009 and was the father of two children.