Of all the countless lines that Virgil Abloh repeated often enough to become an “Abloh-ism,” his idea that “everything I do is for the 17-year-old version of myself,” made clear how much thought and effort he put into fueling the creative ambitions of young people.
Enter “Abloh Air.” An extraordinary pilot program from the Virgil Abloh Foundation, Abloh Air was conceived to give 10 students with creative interests from underrepresented backgrounds in his hometown of Chicago the transformational opportunity to spend nine inspiring days in London and Paris. Flight 000, otherwise known as “the cohort,” departed on March 23 and returned on April 1. In that time, the trip functioned like a nonstop masterclass, a reality show (minus the scheming and elimination rounds!), and a teen tour. Just as Abloh was the ultimate multi-hyphenate, Abloh Air spanned design, fashion, art, architecture, music, and photography. And the itinerary of immersive activities was made even more impressive by the talents, thought leaders, and brands involved, all participating because of some connection back to Abloh.
The cohort spent their spring break in hands-on workshops: brand mood-boarding with Tremaine Emory of Denim Tears; music concepting with Benji B; making a fashion collection video with Ross Westland of Billionaire Boys Club and photographer Fabien Montique; logo designing with Alaska Alaska; learning creative direction from Metallic Inc; T-shirt printing with Pablo T-Shirt Factory and snowboarder Russell Winfield; and building chairs with the Max Lamb Studio. Different panel talks featured Martine Rose with Sami Janjer, Clint419, and Olivia Singer; Sir Jony Ive and the Royal College of Art’s Zowie Broach; Samuel Ross, Yi Ng, and Adrian Lahoud; and Nike Room 72 with Air Afrique, among others.
Site visits included the Louis Vuitton family home in Asnières, the Galérie Kreo manufacturing ateliers, and a sneak peek at a Gabriel Moses exhibition. There were tours of the Tate Modern, the Barbican, the Louvre, the Bourse de Commerce, and the Paris Saint Germain Stadium (where they left with custom jerseys). Requisite tourist attractions—double-decker buses, the Eiffel Tower, and a dinner cruise along the Seine—were included in the mix, as well as more local haunts such as Brick Lane, Les Puces (flea markets), and the Palais Royal Gardens. The days were packed and stacked; the access was amazing.
