What if creativity wasn’t about starting from scratch, but about shifting things just enough to make them feel brand new? Virgil Abloh made a career out of this idea—showing that even the smallest change can lead to something revolutionary. His journey moved from engineering classrooms to the runways of Paris, always reminding us that innovation doesn’t have to look dramatic to change everything.
🧱 Building Different
Growing up in Rockford, Illinois to Ghanaian immigrants, Virgil started with civil engineering and architecture. At the Illinois Institute of Technology, he wasn’t just learning to build structures – he was building a whole new way of thinking. Those early lessons in design theory would shape everything he touched later.
🔀 The Art of the Remix
While interning at Fendi with Kanye West in 2009, Virgil got his first real taste of fashion. But his breakthrough? Buying $40 Champion shirts, screen-printing them, and selling them for $500. This evolved into Off-White, a brand that turned streetwear into luxury and changed how we think about fashion entirely.
🧠 Virgil Abloh’s 3% Rule
Virgil’s “3% rule” was simple but revolutionary – you only need to change something slightly to create something entirely new. He applied this to everything from Nike sneakers to Mercedes-Benz concept cars. Each project was a conversation starter, not just a product.
✊🏾 Breaking New Ground
In 2018, Virgil became the first Black artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear. But he didn’t just take the title – he transformed it. His first show featured a rainbow runway with models of every shade. Through his Postmodern Scholarship Fund, he opened doors for Black students in fashion.
⚙️ Beyond Design
Virgil wasn’t just a designer – he was a system builder. His projects were intentionally left 70% finished, leaving room for growth and imperfection. As he shared in his book Insert Complicated Title Here, the product was never the point – the impact was.
💭 Virgil Abloh & Why His Story Matters
When Virgil passed in 2021, he left us more than designs – he left us permission to create without boundaries. His collaborations with artists like Takashi Murakami showed us how to blur lines between disciplines.
His message was clear: you don’t need to fit in one box. Your background doesn’t limit your future – your curiosity expands it. Whether you’re remixing designs, writing code, or building a business, remember: sometimes the biggest impact comes from the smallest change.
Make your 3% count.