Virgil Abloh Apologizes After Criticism Over Looting Comments

MAKING AMENDS: Virgil Abloh has issued an apology on social media after coming under fire online for comments about looters and a $50 donation he made to a bail fund.
The founder of Off-White and creative director of men’s wear at Louis Vuitton published a lengthy statement in which he spoke of his experience as a black man in the United States, and reaffirmed his solidarity with the protests in the U.S. against police violence, racism and inequality.
“Yesterday I spoke out about how my stores and stores of friends were looted. I apologize that it seemed like my concern for those stores outweighed my concern for our right to protest injustice and express our anger and rage in this moment,” said the seven-page note published on Instagram and Twitter.
“I also joined a social media chain of friends who were matching $50 donations. I apologize that appeared to some as if that was my only donation to these important causes,” he added. “As many have said, buildings are brick and mortar and material things can be replaced, people can’t. Black lives matter. In this moment, those other things don’t.”
The controversy began after the designer posted a comment on Sean Wotherspoon’s Instagram account

Follow WWD on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.