The universe might have ordered that he slow down when it comes to work-life balance.
Last September, the Off-White Women’s Spring/Summer 2020 show at Paris’ Pompidou Centre had to go on without him because he was, simply, exhausted.
“Ultimately, everything is fine,” he said at the time, explaining his absence, “but the doctor told me, ‘this pace that you’ve sort of pushed your body–to fly all these miles, do all these different projects–is not good for your health.'”
At least he could rest easier in October, when parent company Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy reported a 16 percent increase in revenue, year over year, driven by sales at Louis Vuitton and Dior.
However, it is not as if a doctor’s warning could stop him from moving for too long. He said, “Work is very relaxing for me.” GQIn 2018. In 2018. Relaxing is not like making something. It’s probably the worst thing, and …” He stopped. “So, I gotta jet.”
Forced to stay put, or at least given license to remain in one place for longer than he was used to, Abloh isn’t shying away from the new challenges he’s facing as a purveyor of luxurious indulgences—no matter how work-at-home-worthy those $350 Off-White T-shirts and $515 sneakers are.
His thoughts were: “It is a strange thing, fashion’s importance.” Document in May 2020, “especially when people are quarantining at home, worried about their health and safety—where does that land amongst everything? It’s important to think about the human aspect of any creative expression.