Rosalía Remembers Virgil Abloh Before Off-White’s NYC Fashion Week Show

As we eagerly await Off-White’s spring/summer 2025 showcase at New York Fashion Week, Rosalía has shared a touching memory about her encounter with the brand’s former creative director, Virgil Abloh.

Back in 2020, during a momentous New York Fashion Week, the “TKN” singer found herself seated beside Abloh, discussing a stunning blue velvet dress he had designed for Bella Hadid. With Drake sitting to her left, they both attended Nike’s runway show, and by the time the lights dimmed signaling the show’s start, Rosalía and Abloh had struck up a friendly bond.

“Virgil was a sweetheart,” Rosalía recalled in her September 2024 Highsnobiety cover feature. Reflecting on the encounter, she added, “I remember I really liked a blue velvet sheath dress that Bella Hadid previously wore.”

She continued, “I [was talking to] him and he ended up making it custom for me so I could wear it for my ‘CANDY’ video. He just was that kind of person, you know? The kind who does things for other people just because.”

Virgil Abloh, who tragically passed away on November 28, 2021, from cardiac angiosarcoma, was celebrated for his generosity and the personal connections he maintained. As the previous menswear designer for Louis Vuitton, he nurtured close relationships with icons like Rihanna, Hailey Bieber, Kylie and Kendall Jenner, Naomi Campbell, and Pharrell Williams.

This year, Off-White—Abloh’s enduring legacy—will unveil its new spring/summer collection for the first time during New York Fashion Week. Although the brand is based in Milan and usually presents in Paris, it’s now set to debut in New York on September 8 with Ib Kamara at the helm.

Speaking to Vogue ahead of this significant event, Kamara, who became creative director after serving as Off-White’s stylist, mentioned that presenting at New York Fashion Week had long been on the agenda. He acknowledged that the timing hadn’t felt right earlier due to Abloh’s untimely passing.

“Bringing Off-White to New York has been on the cards for so long,” Kamara told the outlet in an article published on July 22, noting that Abloh intended to bring the brand to the Big Apple at the start of 2022. “Now the time feels right to show up.”

He added, “It feels natural to grow and show where so much of the community around the brand is. I think it will be amazing and feel great for Off-White to show for the first time in the city.”

For Abloh’s final Off-White collection, the fashion house honored its late designer in a special Paris showcase for the fall 2022 ready-to-wear season. The collection featured subtle tributes to his close friends, including a Carrie Bradshaw-inspired bag and an exclusive gown designed for Kylie Jenner, set against the backdrop of Pharrell Williams’ voice echoing through the venue.