Off White is one of the hottest brands in the streetwear industry, and many would argue that it isn’t that big of a surprise. This is because Off White was founded by Virgil Abloh, who is one of the most influential and relevant people today. He is one of the select people who has been able to bring streetwear and luxury together in an authentic way. Abloh is also the first African American to become a creative director for Louis Vuitton. While he was interning for Fendi in 2009, he met Kanye West, which led to an impressive artistic collaboration. So it’s no surprise, given Abloh’s history, that Off White advertising strategies might be the best there ever is.
Virgil Abloh has constantly caused a shift in how fashion houses present and produce their products. He also helped the Louis Vuitton fashion house become a desirable option to a new audience. Although most view Virgil Abloh as an outsider, he has successfully deconstructed the old industry way of doing things. This article explores Off White advertising strategies to understand why Off White is thriving in today’s fashion industry.
Off White Advertising – the Beginnings of Virgil Abloh
When Off White was first launched in the streetwear fashion industry, not many people were impressed. It was simply a brand with an unimpressive X logo that consistently used quotation marks and scripts. In this section, we’ll be exploring the beginnings of Virgil Abloh to understand how it all began.
Abloh is a first-generation immigrant of Ghanaian descent who lived from 1980 to 2001. He lived in Chicago, Illinois, and was quick to become immersed in the iconic cultural movement at the heart of the migrant community. Abloh delved into punk, skate, rock, rap, and fashion. These are top influences in his life that continue to echo through many of his creative designs. He became a DJ in 1998 and was famous for playing at festivals and fashion parties. At some point in his history, he opened for Travis Scott.
However, Abloh’s success could be traced back to when he made the most crucial connection of his career, Kanye West. Abloh met Kanye West when they were both interning for Fendi. This experience helped Abloh choose to create his path in the industry. Soon, he became Kanye’s creative consultant and was famous for designing several tour merchandise for Kanye West. Abloh also graduated with a degree in Architecture from the Illinois Institute of Technology, which earned him the name ‘the Fashion Architect.’
Virgil Abloh first began with the brand’ Pyrex.’ The brand led to the founding of Abloh’s Milan-based fashion house Off-White.
Virgil Abloh and Louis Vuitton
When Abloh became the creative director of Louis Vuitton, many people were skeptical about LV’s decision. However, Virgil Abloh has proven over and over the years that he is a fashion architect that can achieve great things in the fashion industry. Louis Vuitton is one of the top fashion houses today, with only a few brands like Balenciaga as their competitor. The Louis Vuitton brand is synonymous with luxury, class, and wealth.
However, one of the problems with top fashion houses that Louis Vuitton experienced was its exclusivity. Although exclusivity remains one of the leading marketing strategies of the brand and isn’t without its benefits, it also has some downsides. When a brand markets a product whose selling point is simply the perception it offers the clients with money as the only barrier, it creates an avenue for devaluation of its products. This is often the consequence of pursuing the perception the product offers its users.
There are two main reasons for this devaluation; one is that these products begin to spread through second-hand channels. Secondly, the counterfeit market meets the need for your products but at a much lower price. Louis Vuitton brought Virgil Abloh in as creative director to introduce the brand to the 21st century. He successfully implemented his experimentation with terms and languages into the brand. With this, he successfully pushed the brand forward in many compelling ways. One way he did this was by redefining luxury by merging luxury with street culture. This opened up the French Fashion House to a new set of audience.
Off White Advertising – Virgil Abloh Formula for Success
Several influencers in the fashion industry recognize Virgil Abloh as a creative genius. His brand is one of the most successful streetwear fashion brands today and will continue to be in the foreseeable future. However, the brand’s success is due to many Off White advertising strategies implemented by Virgil Abloh. In this section, we’ll follow Abloh’s formula for success to understand his streetwear brand’s success better.
Creating Timeless Products
Virgil Abloh is famous for his expensive streetwear item. Today, Off White is one of the leading brands in the fashion industry due to Virgil Abloh’s influence. One top Off White advertising strategy is the continuous creation of timeless products. In addition, Abloh’s collection doesn’t compromise on quality, which helps him promote his vision of fashion.
A clear example of this feature is the Made in Italy collection. He used its luxury quality to justify the price tags on his t-shirts and sweatshirts. Continuously, the quality of Off White products continues to make a case for the timelessness and significance of the brand.
Off White Advertising Strategy – Targeting Millennials
One mistake that many brands make is not targeting the right audience. There’s no point in creating a product if you target the wrong audience and no one will buy. Off White’s success is rooted in the well-designed sneakers, jackets, sweatshirts, pants, and jackets produced under Abloh’s careful eye. However, the brand’s growth lies in the careful cultivation of its target audience – millennials. Abloh has consistently shared his aim of communicating with the new generation through fashion. Also, Abloh stated that his primary purpose was to make millennials interested in fashion. Abloh has successfully made both worlds meet halfway and become one through his designs and campaigns.
He successfully achieves this with the creation of simple white tees and sweatshirts. These products feature the brand’s logo. The minimalistic designs of Off White products are one of Off White advertising strategies to appeal to a broader and more varied audience. Due to this, Off White consumers are mainly millennials who consistently express themselves using streetwear. His strategy of using quotations on short phrases on his products allows millennials to express themselves. Through his quotation mark designs, millennials can communicate their thoughts through what they wear. Consistently, Abloh changes people’s perception of what’s possible in the creative space with his fashion pieces.
Off White Advertising and Social Media
One of the top factors contributing to Off White’s global growth is its strategy of engaging fans on social media. A leading Off White advertising strategy is sharing unique images of Off White product collection during the design process. In addition, the brand consistently creates content that speaks Millennials’ language and allows them to communicate with the brand. More than 59% of American millennials actively use social media platforms like Instagram. Therefore, it is no shock that the creator of Off White, Virgil Abloh, also actively uses Instagram.
Fashion is the third most followed kind of account on the social media platform, and Abloh continually capitalizes on it. He creates and shares creative posts that are sure to stand out when you’re scrolling. Abloh shared that he draws inspiration from what millennials post on the platform. Therefore, his posts speak the millennial’s language fluently. In addition, he is well aware of what visuals can inspire his target audience.
Consequently, he consistently showcases a relatable and aspirational presence through social media. On Instagram, Abloh doesn’t just focus on Off- White clothing. Additionally, the brand also focuses on the lifestyle that goes with its products.
Fashion and Culture
Virgil Abloh is provocative in every form he expresses himself through, like his art and designs. In his designs, he shows that the culture of the past inspires the present. Culture is one of the top Off White advertising strategies that ensure brand success. When your brand can successfully contribute to the community, it will become an authentic and influential part of the culture. Off White consistently works on a timeline that matches the culture, which goes beyond the traditional advertising methods.
Virgil Abloh understands this and reflects the millennial lifestyle in his brand and personal life. He is famous for not having an office and continuously travelling. Abloh can represent a generation where working remotely is the norm and side gigs are becoming industries through his brand and lifestyle. The millennial culture is also implemented in Off White designs to express their personality and belief through their fashion choices.
Successful Collaborations
One of Off White advertising strategies is successful collaborations with top brands. By co-creating with leading brands like Nike, Levi, Ikea, and many more, Off White successfully expanded into new audiences and territories. These collaborations also help the brand give kudos to established brands, gaining a new audience. One of Off White’s top collaborations is with Mercedes Benz in 2020 to revamp the G-Class SUV. This collaboration resulted in a unique car that features a luxurious design. Also, Virgil collaborated with Japanese designer Nigo in his first year as creative director of Louis Vuitton. This collaboration led to the designing of a collection of ready-to-wear and accessories.
Off White’s collaboration with Nike is one of its top collaborations. Together, the brands created a pair of studded boots that featured Abloh’s signature orange. Kylian Mbappe first wore these boots at the French League Cup final. The two brands also collaborated to reinvent different models of ten Nike sneakers. In addition, the brand collaborated with Heron Preston to create a handbag that also featured Abloh’s signature orange colour. Over the years, other brands Off White collaborated with include Ikea, A-COLD-WALL, Jimmy Choo, Timberland, KITH, Takashi Murakami, and several more.
Final Thoughts
Virgil Abloh is popular for successfully combining the world of luxury and street culture in his brand. His brand Off White has been making waves since its inception. The brand continues to embrace the present and millennials in a sophisticated way. This feature remains one of the reasons for the brand’s success. With Louis Vuitton and many of his collaborations, Abloh revisits classics and makes the current and functional items to life. Virgil Abloh will always remain a leading figure in the Fashion World. Luckily, this article gives you insight into top Off White advertising strategies that make the brand iconic and successful. One thing we can attest to is that Virgil Abloh’s success in the fashion world isn’t simply because of one of these strategies but because of his ability to mix all of them creatively.
