MILAN — Off-White og den kreative direktør Ib Kamara har gensidigt besluttet at gå hver til sit.
Kamara blev udnævnt til rollen i foråret 2022 og har været en langvarig samarbejdspartner for mærket og har arbejdet tæt sammen med dets grundlægger, den afdøde Virgil Abloh.
“We are deeply grateful for Ib’s vision, creativity, and the remarkable energy he brought to Off-White throughout his tenure,” said Joey Gabbay, chief executive officer of Bluestar Alliance, which took control of the brand in September 2024. “Ib’s contributions have been instrumental in shaping and evolving the brand, and we sincerely thank him for his dedication and lasting impact.”
Siden Bluestar Alliance’s overtagelse har Kamara afholdt tre modeshows i New York og Paris.
Du vil også kunne lide
“Working at Off-White has been an honour and a profound creative education. The teams I have worked alongside, the collections we produced, the shows we dreamt, and the conversations we sparked — I will carry all of it with me, and I am deeply grateful for every person who gave their energy and talent to this vision,” stated Kamara. “Off-White is bigger than any one idea, exactly as Virgil intended — a house with genuine values, rooted in culture, community, and the belief that fashion can speak to everyone. I leave with enormous pride in all we have made, and with nothing but excitement for what this house will continue to become.”
Bluestar Alliance is leaving a door open as it stated that it remains “open to future collaborations with Ib and continue to admire his extraordinary talent.”
The New York- based Bluestar Alliance acquired Off-White LLC, the company that owns the Off-White brand, in September 2024 from LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton.
Bluestar Alliance, founded by Gabbay and Ralph Gindi in 2007, owns, manages and markets a portfolio of consumer brands ranging from Palm Angels, Hurley, Scotch & Soda and Bebe, to Elie Tahari, Kensie, Justice, Catherine Malandrino, Nanette Lepore, English Laundry, Brookstone, Joan Vass and Limited Too, generating more than $14 billion in global retail sales.
Off-White is helmed by CEO Cristiano Fagnani.
Kamara debuterede brandets første New York-modeshow i september 2024. Showet blev afholdt på de vandnære fællesskabsbasketballbaner ved Brooklyn Bridge Park og tiltrak en stjernespækket første række, herunder Flavor Flav (med sine særlige gæster, den olympiske vandpolo-spiller Ashleigh Johnson), Camila Cabello, Leon Bridges, Suni Lee, Lena Waithe, Issa Rae, Aryna Sabalenka, Frances Tiafoe, Ayan Broomfield, Paris Jackson, Zayn Malik, Victoria Monét og Mary J. Blige.
En af Ablohs nære samarbejdspartnere, Kamara blev født i Sierra Leone, søgte tilflugt hos slægtninge i Gambia under landets 11-årige borgerkrig, før han slog sig ned i London, da han var 16.
Kamara er kendt for arbejde, der udforsker kønsnormer, queerness og sort identitet, alle temaer som Abloh førte fra siden til centrum af luksusdiskussionen.
Kamara har været en del af Off-White-familien i årevis, og har udstillet brandets shows samt været den foretrukne stylist for mange andre mode designere, lige fra Riccardo Tisci til Erdem Moralioglu.
Før han tiltrådte den øverste post hos Dazed, producerede han editorials for blandt andre i-D, System, Vogue Italia og Another Magazine. I juni 2025 lancerede han Raw Materials by Ib Kamara, et 360-graders kreativt bureau.
I juni præsenterede virksomheden den lavprisede og yngre L/AB c/o Off-White-kollektion, en genfortolkning af Off-White For All-konceptet introduceret af Abloh og tilknyttet relanceringen med en række kreative, herunder musikere JT, Glaive og PZ; modellerne Vivian Jenna Wilson, Julez Smith og Mazzy Joya, og indholdsskaber Jay Guapo.
Earlier this year the company launched 10 x 10: Off-White Icons Reimagined, a project where 10 creatives were tapped to rethink some of the brand’s best-known pieces. The offering includes a bag from Raul Lopez, jeans from Guillermo Andrade, shoes from stylist Veneda Carter, eyewear from photographer and director Renell Medrano and a sneaker from Kid Cudi. That project will continue for the next year.
