Surrealism, Ambition and Shades of Blue Permeate Off-White™'s FW22 Campaign

Virgil Abloh lives on through the medium of fashion, with some of his final work now coming to life in Off-White™‘s Fall/Winter 2022 advertising campaign. Lensed by Rafael Pavarotti and pieced together by the Art and Image Director, Ib Kamara, the campaign takes a hold of the blue Moroccan city Chefchaouen, saturating the photos with a rich hue that is deeply rooted in the brand’s iconography.

Blue has long been a part of Off-White™’s identity; a bold primary color that lends itself to the calming and reassuring references in the world of workwear, hazards and other symbols that play into the brand’s work — contrasting its signature red zip-ties or yellow warnings. Per the brand, “The city of Chefchaouen was key as a deeply historical old town with a very surreal point of view and notoriety. Apparently, it began to paint itself blue as an omen to bring water to the area; it’s about nourishment, growth, survival and development. The initiative and ambition of the local culture to paint the built environment blue is profound. Broad brush strokes of varying shades of blue, ultramarine and indigo refrigerate this exceptionally hot city.”

It’s with this that the collection and the campaign come together as one, because like the photos and the city, the clothes also promise a sense of ambition and growth, development and survival. They achieve this merely by existing, continuing Abloh’s legacy.

Speaking on the overall project and the brand, Kamara says, “Making a successful luxury brand in nine years is genius… It’s a feat that I admire and hope to continue building upon with a rich legacy. [Virgil] revolutionized streetwear and luxury that crosses generations and decades. He showed the world that the underrepresented, the underdogs and Black people, in particular, have brilliant minds and can push and compete equally in the establishment. He inspired hope and brought about change. Virgil Abloh was one of the freest-thinking black men of our time.”

As for the collection itself, we find plenty of stellar looks. Tapestry informs bags, bomber jackets and pants each falling into a new skiwear theme, made using a trio of performance-focused layered materials that deliver form and function. Skateboarding appears as per usual, this time in the form of subverted workwear cues of a blue shirt and baggy black pants, which simultaneously welcomes Off-White™’s vision of tailoring.

Here, we find soft flannel wool oatmeal ensembles comprising overcoats and rollneck sweaters, pleated skirts and boxy pants, while the brand’s rich graphic approach infiltrates sporty tank tops, white tees, and an array of sunglasses, completely contrasting the skiwear tones that are done up with mini skirts, cropped bombers and heeled boots for women.

Take a look at the FW22 campaign above, and shop the wider collection online, in Off-White™’s stores and at select retailers globally, now.

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