Anonymous US donor funds Virgil Abloh scholarship at RCA for black British students

By

Nigel TAYLOR

Published
Nov 7, 2022

A scholarship in the name of Virgil Abloh has been introduced by the Royal College of Art (RCA). Specifically, it will target underrepresented communities in creative and design industries honouring the fashion designer who died a year ago.

The RCA Virgil Abloh Scholarship will be offered annually to “an extraordinarily talented, but financially restricted, Black British student”.

The scholarship will be funded from an anonymous US donor and will cover full tuition fees of any postgraduate programme in the School of Design, including fashion, textiles and design products. The total scholarship is £35,000 which covers full tuition fees and includes maintenance support in addition to networking opportunities and industry experience.

Alboh, who led his Off-White fashion label alongside his role as artistic directorship of Louis Vuitton’s menswear, sustained a close relationship with the RCA having joined as an honorary visiting professor in 2020.

He was a strong advocate for equality in education. In 2020, he launched the Virgil Abloh ‘Post-Modern’ scholarships and career opportunities for Black students in the USA, co-funded in partnership with Louis Vuitton and Farfetch.

Referencing the scholarship, Shannon Abloh, the late designer’s wife, said: “Over the years, the RCA and Virgil formed a beautiful relationship based on a shared appreciation of collaboration, creative vision, and of course, education. We know that the RCA Virgil Abloh scholarship will break down financial barriers to fulfilling creative potential and empower talented young individuals to dream even bigger.”