Unpacking the significance of Virgil's appointment at Louis Vuitton

Plus: FILA’s ‘Pokémon’ Collection and Inside the New 'Fortnite Battle Royale' Starter Pack HYPEBEAST Features Friday March 23, 2018 [Inside: Fashion Insiders on Virgil Abloh at Louis Vuitton]( [Here’s What Fashion Insiders Think of Virgil Abloh at Louis Vuitton]( After months of speculation, Louis Vuitton confirmed that [Virgil Abloh]( is the fashion house’s [new artistic director of menswear]( filling the spot left by [Kim Jones']( departure earlier this year. The news is groundbreaking, as Abloh becomes the first African American artistic director in Louis Vuitton’s history and one of only three black designers to ever take a senior design role with a French heritage house. The move also represents a shift in the industry, with Abloh’s appointment showing a further merging of streetwear and traditional luxury fashion. In this regard, the appointment builds on years of work from his predecessor — which arguably culminated with [last year’s Supreme collaboration]( –to blur the lines between the two. As Abloh begins work on his debut collection for the brand — to be shown at [Paris Fashion Week]( in June — we caught up with fashion industry insiders to see what they think of the news. [READ FULL ARTICLE ON HYPEBEAST →]( More HYPEBEAST Features [[Check out FILA's 'Pokémon'-Centric Collection] FILA Drops a 'Pokémon'-Centric Collection]( [[This Week's Footwear Releases] Nike's Annual Air Max Day Kicks off This Week's Footwear Releases]( [[Inside: New 'Fortnite Battle Royale' Starter Pack] Here's Everything Inside the New 'Fortnite Battle Royale' Starter Pack]( Follow Us Download Our App Free on iOS and Android 2018 Hypebeast Limited. All Rights Reserved. [Unsubscribe](=--a84d0e5df1fefa46bdb86fda01c25e301f430437)