Kanye West and Virgil Abloh became friends when they worked at Fendi together in 2009. NSS MagazineReports claimed that West was to embark on a worldwide tour with Lady Gaga. But Taylor Swift’s moment at MTV Music Awards led to Gaga cancelling the tour. In 2009, West went on an adventure to Rome and did a six-month internship at Fendi. Abloh, his friend, followed him to Fendi. NSS claims that their experiences at the global brand enriched their careers. West was able to start his Yeezy label and Abloh was appointed head of creative at DONDA, West’s creative agency. After art-directing Jay-Z’s and West’s videos, Abloh’s career grew. “Watch the Throne”Album, which won the designer a Grammy nomination.
Fendi’s former CEO Michael Burke (now CEO of Louis Vuitton) noticed something unique about Abloh while he was in Rome. Burke appointed the former intern as Louis Vuitton’s artistic director for menswear in 2018. The New York Times, “Virgil is incredibly good at creating bridges between the classic and the zeitgeist of the moment.”
The “Gold Digger”After the death of his friend, the rapper has not shared much information publicly. But MetroReports state that West posted a link to DONDA’s website on his Sunday Service Page on his Instagram Story. The day Abloh was killed, West shared a link to the DONDA website on his Sunday Service page on Instagram Story. Website DONDAIt is completely unformatted, except for one message. “In loving memory of Virgil Abloh.”