What do you think?
Rate this book
Abloh-isms
Abloh-isms is a collection of essential quotations from American fashion designer, DJ, and stylist Virgil Abloh, who was a major creative figure in the worlds of pop culture and art. Abloh began his career as Kanye West’s creative director before founding the luxury streetwear label Off-White and becoming artistic director for Louis Vuitton, making Abloh the first American of African descent to hold that title at a French fashion house. Defying categorization, Abloh’s work has been the subject of solo exhibitions at museums and galleries, most notably in a major retrospective at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. Gathered from interviews and other sources, this selection of compelling and memorable quotations from the designer reveals his thoughts on a wide range of subjects, including creativity, passion, innovation, race, and what it means to be an artist of his generation. Lively and thought-provoking, these quotes reflect Abloh’s unique perspective as a trailblazer in his fields.
Select quotations from the book:
“I believe that coincidence is key, but coincidence is energies coming towards each other. You have to be moving to meet it.”
“Life is collaboration. Where I think art can be sort of misguided is that it propagates this idea of itself as a solo love affair—one person, one idea, no one else involved.”
“Black influence has created a new ecosystem, which can grow and support different types of life that we couldn’t before.”
Select quotations from the book:
“I believe that coincidence is key, but coincidence is energies coming towards each other. You have to be moving to meet it.”
“Life is collaboration. Where I think art can be sort of misguided is that it propagates this idea of itself as a solo love affair—one person, one idea, no one else involved.”
“Black influence has created a new ecosystem, which can grow and support different types of life that we couldn’t before.”
- GenresArtFashionNonfiction
Kindle Edition
Published March 16, 2021
21 people are currently reading
367 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
February 12, 2022
I should’ve read this way earlier. I love love this book. It was an eye opener, legendary and so very V. He will forever be my favorite designer. Not because of the products that he created, but the stories he told and, the fact that he created to change. I create to change. So I felt that dearly. May he rest in peace.
April 22, 2022
An interesting portrait through collected phrases but I fear his true depth cannot be revealed through such shallow dives.
August 22, 2022
“I use the means that I have to do what I can.”
—
“I choose to make the reality that I see in my head.”
—
“One of the biggest premises in my practice is that it’s OK to contradict yourself; it’s human.”
—
“I choose to make the reality that I see in my head.”
—
“One of the biggest premises in my practice is that it’s OK to contradict yourself; it’s human.”
March 4, 2025
“my upbringing included zero art.”
i came across this book at the gift shop of my local art gallery. all i previously knew about virgil abloh was that he was associated with kanye west & was the founder of the luxury brand off-white. i knew he had died young in 2021 at the age of 41. my partner immediately told me that had been a designer for louis vuitton, too. besides that, i knew nothing. i picked up this small, red, cloth bound book anyway because it’s just so tiny & cute. after reading just one random quote, i was sold.
“before the internet made all knowledge easily
accessible, information was guarded, slow,
& very much propped up the gatekeepers
and their rulebooks.”
the book is a collection of quotes within quotation marks, each its own separate paragraph. some are only one sentence & some span several lines. the book is divided into sections: (1) early years, (2) influences & inspirations, (3) streetwear, fashion, & design, (4) point of view, (5) methods, (6) making an impact, (7) art & creativity.
“i’m not trying to pretend that I’m inventing something that’s never been seen before. my work exists because i’m inspired by the work of others.”
abloh was not the person i would’ve pegged him to be from my limited understanding of his career. he was born in illinois but raised in chicago. his influences growing up were skateboarding, graffiti, & music. he was not raised by particularly wealthy people & couldn’t afford designer growing up. he studied engineering & then got his masters in architecture. it’s pretty incredible how his path in life changed drastically when he became the art director for a kanye west album after establishing a genuine friendship together.
“hierarchy is the human trait that gives license
to absurd human behavior with no cause.”
what strikes me about this book is how abloh persevered & never gave up his creative passions. his underlying goals were not wealth or fame, but rather to impact people with his art. he always had his office door open & thrived creatively by collaborating with others, overhearing conversations, & endlessly consuming art & dj-ing. i love that he’s entirely open about the universal truth that all artists are a reflection of their upbringing, surroundings, & art around them.
“i’ve realized that being contradictory is more
authentic than being consistent.”
“i am the same person now as I was in high
school. i like the consistency.”
his quotes also showcase a highly philosophical person even though that’s never explicitly stated to be a particular passion of his. i think that anybody can be a philosopher as long as they are able to reflect on & learn from life. his quotes are so heavy with wisdom that i had to pause sometimes just to take it in.
“where you were born gives you your access
point to make things, or think things.”
if you are an artist of any kind or a person who engages with creativity, i think you can benefit from reading this book. a glimpse into abloh’s mind isn’t just biographical; it provided me with immense inspiration & acknowledged some of the things i’ve come to learn to be truths for me, as well. i found myself both learning & agreeing wholeheartedly with his thoughts.
“screw skin color. my generation is all
about irony, about humor & piss-taking.”
this book, despite being a simple concept & very easy to read, is one that has a valued place on my bookshelf. when i feel creatively stuck, uninspired, or hopeless, i will be opening this book to any random page & allow it to influence me once again. this is a great motivator for any artist who wants to keep going & needs some reassurance that they are on the right path. abloh does such an incredible job of presenting himself as an ordinary guy who achieved extraordinary things with persistence & collaboration.
“hard work, good ideas & persistence will
undoubtedly lead to success.”
you do not have to be interested in fashion to enjoy this book. it’s much more about creativity than it is about the specific work abloh did at the end of his life. i’m glad this book was published while abloh was alive & that he got to see it & hold it. i hope he knew then how much it would come to impact its readers.
“if everything is more utopian, I don’t know if
art would be better. it might be worse.”
“unraveling life’s manmade myths at the
earliest age possible is the hard part. once one has unraveled the prisons we build around our own minds and abilities, there is true creative freedom. after that the world becomes crystal clear.”
“the only failure is not to try.”
i came across this book at the gift shop of my local art gallery. all i previously knew about virgil abloh was that he was associated with kanye west & was the founder of the luxury brand off-white. i knew he had died young in 2021 at the age of 41. my partner immediately told me that had been a designer for louis vuitton, too. besides that, i knew nothing. i picked up this small, red, cloth bound book anyway because it’s just so tiny & cute. after reading just one random quote, i was sold.
“before the internet made all knowledge easily
accessible, information was guarded, slow,
& very much propped up the gatekeepers
and their rulebooks.”
the book is a collection of quotes within quotation marks, each its own separate paragraph. some are only one sentence & some span several lines. the book is divided into sections: (1) early years, (2) influences & inspirations, (3) streetwear, fashion, & design, (4) point of view, (5) methods, (6) making an impact, (7) art & creativity.
“i’m not trying to pretend that I’m inventing something that’s never been seen before. my work exists because i’m inspired by the work of others.”
abloh was not the person i would’ve pegged him to be from my limited understanding of his career. he was born in illinois but raised in chicago. his influences growing up were skateboarding, graffiti, & music. he was not raised by particularly wealthy people & couldn’t afford designer growing up. he studied engineering & then got his masters in architecture. it’s pretty incredible how his path in life changed drastically when he became the art director for a kanye west album after establishing a genuine friendship together.
“hierarchy is the human trait that gives license
to absurd human behavior with no cause.”
what strikes me about this book is how abloh persevered & never gave up his creative passions. his underlying goals were not wealth or fame, but rather to impact people with his art. he always had his office door open & thrived creatively by collaborating with others, overhearing conversations, & endlessly consuming art & dj-ing. i love that he’s entirely open about the universal truth that all artists are a reflection of their upbringing, surroundings, & art around them.
“i’ve realized that being contradictory is more
authentic than being consistent.”
“i am the same person now as I was in high
school. i like the consistency.”
his quotes also showcase a highly philosophical person even though that’s never explicitly stated to be a particular passion of his. i think that anybody can be a philosopher as long as they are able to reflect on & learn from life. his quotes are so heavy with wisdom that i had to pause sometimes just to take it in.
“where you were born gives you your access
point to make things, or think things.”
if you are an artist of any kind or a person who engages with creativity, i think you can benefit from reading this book. a glimpse into abloh’s mind isn’t just biographical; it provided me with immense inspiration & acknowledged some of the things i’ve come to learn to be truths for me, as well. i found myself both learning & agreeing wholeheartedly with his thoughts.
“screw skin color. my generation is all
about irony, about humor & piss-taking.”
this book, despite being a simple concept & very easy to read, is one that has a valued place on my bookshelf. when i feel creatively stuck, uninspired, or hopeless, i will be opening this book to any random page & allow it to influence me once again. this is a great motivator for any artist who wants to keep going & needs some reassurance that they are on the right path. abloh does such an incredible job of presenting himself as an ordinary guy who achieved extraordinary things with persistence & collaboration.
“hard work, good ideas & persistence will
undoubtedly lead to success.”
you do not have to be interested in fashion to enjoy this book. it’s much more about creativity than it is about the specific work abloh did at the end of his life. i’m glad this book was published while abloh was alive & that he got to see it & hold it. i hope he knew then how much it would come to impact its readers.
“if everything is more utopian, I don’t know if
art would be better. it might be worse.”
“unraveling life’s manmade myths at the
earliest age possible is the hard part. once one has unraveled the prisons we build around our own minds and abilities, there is true creative freedom. after that the world becomes crystal clear.”
“the only failure is not to try.”
January 30, 2022
Pissed i keep discovering my favorite artists after they’re already gone. Ablohisms is a staple in any artists tool kit, prime for inspiring and reminding creators and architects of the important lessons we learn along the way. RIP Virgil. Thanks for your story and the wisdom you shared while you were here
July 18, 2023
Great book, really short read as it’s a collection of quoted out into sections about Virgil Abloh’s career and life. Wish it was more than just the quotes, maybe an involved at the end of it based on the quotes, obviously it is unlikely due to Abloh’s untimely passing.
I read half of this whilst sober on the way to the JID concert and the over half drunk on the train home.
🕊️
I read half of this whilst sober on the way to the JID concert and the over half drunk on the train home.
🕊️
January 23, 2025
Abloh-isms is a collection of his most powerful quotes, giving a look into his ideas and creative vision. His journey shows that with passion, hard work, and originality, anything is possible, which is why he is such an inspiration to me. I can go on an on about him but I’ll leave it off here. Rest In Peace 🕊️
January 11, 2026
loveeeee virgil abloh. don’t think he was much of a writer, more of a talker. his ideas r so interesting and his rise to fame. not rlly an off white fan tho. i was feeling rlly lost career wise so this was a pretty grounding read. obviously a one sitter as well
December 26, 2021
Was a simple but elegant collection of Virgil Abloh’s quotes. From his earliest days to his latest. Short book but enjoyable for those that are passionate about the designer.
December 29, 2021
A wonderful short collection of Mr Abloh’s ideas on life, design, art and creativity. Thank you for putting this together Mr Warsh, it was truly delightful.
September 3, 2022
"In general, my creteria for desing is that the object needs to be relevant; not just for now but also for tomorrow"
February 10, 2023
Týpek vie
August 29, 2023
Abloh-isms by Virgil Abloh gives you a glimpse into the philosophy and creative mind of the influential designer. Makes me wanna design a spooooon. 🥄
January 29, 2024
tento človek mi prečítal myšlienky a napísal knihu
February 22, 2024
Art capital A
March 21, 2024
Wanted to be inspired creatively. “We don’t sit around to critique, we create” Rest in peace 💔
September 10, 2025
7.5/10 - pleasant overview of Abloh's ideas and frame of mind
October 12, 2025
A pretty small book with a beautiful collection of Virgil’s ideas, I read a page every other day to get some inspo.
Worth keeping in your desk for ideas.
Worth keeping in your desk for ideas.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews