LVMH Sells Off-White™ to Bluestar Alliance, Honoring Virgil Abloh’s Legacy
Just three years after acquiring 60% of Off-White™ from Virgil Abloh in July 2021, luxury conglomerate LVMH has announced the sale of Off-White LLC, the parent company of the Off-White™ brand, to brand management entity Bluestar Alliance. The sale, which was announced on the late Abloh’s birthday, marks a poignant twist of fate.
Financial details of the sale were not disclosed, but Off-White™ is now part of Bluestar Alliance’s impressive portfolio, which includes other well-known brands such as Hurley, Scotch & Soda, Bebe, English Laundry, and Brookstone. In a statement, Bluestar Alliance CEO Joey Gabbay expressed admiration for Abloh’s impact on the fashion industry and creative community, stating that acquiring Off-White™ is a unique opportunity to honor and build upon his enduring legacy. Gabbay also noted that Abloh’s visionary approach to fashion aligns with Bluestar Alliance’s core values of fostering innovation and embracing diversity.
LVMH echoed a similar sentiment in their own statement, expressing pride in Off-White™’s legacy and confidence in Bluestar Alliance as the “perfect partner” to carry it forward. The company also emphasized their commitment to respecting creative integrity and believes that Bluestar Alliance’s strategic investment and global network of resources will allow for the continuation of the cultural and creative momentum that Abloh ignited.
Abloh founded Off-White™ in 2012, following his PYREX VISION label. He launched the brand’s first full womenswear collection at Paris Fashion Week in 2014 and was nominated for the LVMH Prize in 2015. In the same year, Off-White™ became part of New Guards Group, owned by Marcelo Burlon, Claudio Antonioli, and Davide De Giglio. New Guards Group was later acquired by Farfetch for $675 million in 2019. However, when LVMH bought into Off-White™, they did so through Off-White LLC, the LLC through which Abloh conducted his personal business, from DJ sets to Nike collaborations. As Vogue described it in a 2021 article, Abloh’s business model is similar to that of Karl Lagerfeld, where he is “horizontally integrated” through his LLC and other entities with a variety of clients. This means that his commitments to LVMH will go beyond the traditional silo system of different designers in different houses, allowing him to act as an internal creative consultant.
