Virgil Abloh, the visionary founder and CEO of Off-White and menswear designer for Louis Vuitton, died Sunday of cancer, according to a post from his verified Instagram account.

“We are devastated to announce the passing of our beloved Virgil Abloh, a fiercely devoted father, husband, son, brother, and friend. He is survived by his loving wife Shannon Abloh, his children Lowe Abloh and Grey Abloh, his sister Edwina Abloh, his parents Nee and Eunice Abloh, and numerous dear friends and colleagues. For over two years, Virgil valiantly battled a rare, aggressive form of cancer, cardiac angiosarcoma. He chose to endure his battle privately since his diagnosis in 2019, undergoing numerous challenging treatments, all while helming several significant institutions that span fashion, art, and culture. Through it all, his work ethic, infinite curiosity, and optimism never wavered,” the Instagram caption read. “Virgil was driven by his dedication to his craft and to his mission to open doors for others and create pathways for greater equality in art and design. He often said, “Everything I do is for the 17-year-old version of myself,” believing deeply in the power of art to inspire future generations.”

In a statement, Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy CEO Bernard Arnault said, “We are all shocked by this terrible news. Virgil was not only a genius designer and a visionary, he was also a man with a beautiful soul and great wisdom. The LVMH family joins me in this moment of great sorrow and we are all thinking of his loved ones on the passing of their husband, father, brother, son and friend.”

The Met Gala Red Carpet was rolled out on the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art after a year off due to Covid-19. There were multiple show-stopping outfits from Lil Nas X while Kim Kardashian and her estranged husband Kanye West turned heads by dressing entirely in black, even their faces.

Amid the glamour, some guests highlighted social issues. The Democratic congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez had ‘tax the rich’ written in red across the back of her white gown and the sports star Megan Rapinoe carried a clutch bag with the words ‘in gay we trust’.

New York Fashion Week kicks off this week, but this year there are some notable names missing from the schedule after several top designers decided to show in other locations. Tom Ford, Jeremy Scott, Tommy Hilfiger and up-and-coming labels Pyer Moss and Telfar have all decided to skip New York.

By far the biggest blow is Tom Ford, who has opted instead to show in Los Angeles, citing the Academy Awards event date move as a factor in his decision.

“The decision to show in February in Los Angeles feels very natural to me,” Ford to Women’s Wear Daily. “It is my home and has a strong impact on the way that I live and work within both the fashion and film worlds,” Ford said. “This year, the New York Fashion Week calendar exactly overlaps Oscar weekend, and the last time that happened I showed in L.A. and it worked quite well. There is an excitement in L.A. on that particular weekend and the relationship between film and fashion is a strong one.”

Ford took the helm at the Council of Fashion Designers of America back in June. He says that in his role as chairman, “my main intent and priority is to globalize and bring attention to American fashion. There is truly no bigger or more prominent stage in the world at any given time than Los Angeles during the Academy Awards.”

Jeremy Scott, a longstanding crowd-pleaser, is also skipping New York in favor of Paris, the city that launched his career. In a statement, his label said “Jeremy Scott will no longer be showing his fall-winter 2020 collection during New York Fashion Week. In a move to pay homage to the city that launched his design career, Jeremy Scott will show his upcoming collection in Paris in July.”

Tommy Hilfiger has announced that it will present its Spring 2020 collection at London Fashion Week this year. The PVH-owned fashion brand will present both its Spring 2020 co-ed Hilfiger collection, as well as its upcoming Tommy x Lewis collaboration created with Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton.

New York Fashion Week events begin on Thursday, with the official launch on Friday.