The show was presented by comedian Munya Chawawa and Little Mix’s Leigh Anne-Pinnock, the pair didn’t disappoint, with Leigh Anne wearing multiple outfits throughout the night, giving us a glimpse into her unique fashion style whilst Munya delivered the jokes.

Bringing the stage back to life was the wonderful Bree Runway, who performed her sizzling single ‘Hot Hot’. There were also performances from Pa Salieu, Enny, Stefflon Don and Ms Banks and Ghetts.

The night was dedicated to honouring Music Of Black Origin, and the awarding reflected this, with a variation of artists winning specific categories, some for the first time. Dave was awarded Album Of The Year, having previously won Album Of The Year at last year’s Brit Awards with his album ‘Psychodrama’. Little Simz was awarded Best Female Act, which was well deserved after her monumental year and successful album ‘Sometimes I Might Be Introvert’.

When accepting her award, Simz said;

“I’m in the dream I always dreamed about. [So] anyone that’s watching this and has a dream to pursue – this is yours, always. Go and get it.”

After 15 years of being a frontrunner of the now widely successful Grime genre, last night saw Ghetts finally pick up his first Mobo award, as he won ‘Best Male Artist’. He went on to close the show with a fiery performance of his hits ‘Mozambique’ and ‘Hop Out’.

Drill was a genre acknowledged throughout the night, with the genre’s first UK number 1 ‘Body (Remix)’ by Tion Wayne & Russ Millions winning ‘Song Of The Year’. Drill’s Central Cee was awarded ‘Best Newcomer’. These wins are a huge step for Drill, showing that this is now a genre accepted by the masses and no longer associated with stereotypes of gang violence.

Words By Nadia Clasper

Photo Credit: Mobo’s Twitter

The post The Return Of The Mobo Awards appeared first on Voir Fashion.

Rise to success 

After graduating from university in 2009, Abloh started making serious moves on his fashion journey when he interned at Fendi in Rome with Kanye West. Later that year, in a now well-circulated photo, Kanye and Virgil appeared at Paris Fashion Week. They caught the attention of many, creating excitement on what was next to come.

By 2010, Abloh was appointed creative director of ‘Donda’ (Kanye’s creative agency). Keeping relationships tight, Abloh also went on to art direct for Jay-Z and Kanye’s album ‘Watch The Throne’ in 2011, which earned him a Grammy nomination. 

Pyrex Vision 

Abloh’s first brand titled ‘Pyrex Vision’ was launched in 2012 as an artistic experiment centred around the importance of youth culture. The endeavour saw Virgil purchase deadstock Ralph Lauren flannel shirts for around $40, and screen print designs consisting of ‘Pyrex’ and the number ‘23’ to pay homage to his childhood hero Michael Jordan. The newly-designed shirts were sold from prices of $550 upwards. 

Off-White

After shutting Pyrex Vision, Abloh founded Off-White. The brand was based in Milan, Italy and saw Abloh combine luxury with streetwear to devise a company that acts as “the grey area between black and white as the colour Off-White” in Abloh’s own words. By 2014, the company’s womenswear line was launched, with collections showcased on the runways of Paris Fashion Week. The brand’s popularity continued to grow, equating to Off-White surpassing Gucci as the hottest brand in the world in 2018. 

Louis Vuitton 

On March 25th 2018, Virgil was appointed artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear line. This made him the first person of African descent to lead the brand’s menswear line, and he was one of the first black designers in the integral french fashion designer brands.  

Speaking on his position at Louis Vuitton, Abloh said;

“It is an honour for me to accept this position. I find the heritage and creative integrity of the house are key inspirations and will look to reference them both while drawing parallels to modern times.”

Abloh’s first Louis Vuitton show saw him merge his love for music with high fashion, as artists such as Kid Cudi and Playboi Carti walked the runway for the Spring 2019 menswear collection. 

Abloh’s position at Louis Vuitton marked a new chapter for fashion, as his artistic vision took the brand in a new exciting direction, subsequently inspiring other brands to be more diverse and take the same route. 

This year, Abloh presented LVHM’s Fall/Winter 2021 Menswear Collection entitled ‘Tourist vs Purist’ that took the internet by storm. A true reflection of his visions, Abloh’s collection mirrored craftsmanship synchronised with functionality, centred around performance and spoken word evoking Black consciousness.

Ikea Collaboration

Virgil put his architecture skills to use when he collaborated with IKEA in 2019 to create the ‘MARKERAD’ limited collection. The collaboration resulted in everyday items being rejuvenated into striking new styles, adding art to anonymous objects. 

Met Gala 2021

The Designer even caught everyone’s attention at the Met Gala 2021 with his otherworldly head accessory along with an asymmetric warp around his Off-White flared trouser. His suit with ‘Modernism’ written on it stole the moment encapsulating his beliefs.

Virgil Abloh believed in accelerating change by disputing the fashion industry through unconventional approaches. His long enduring battle with cancer echoed in privacy but the dedication to his craft went unwavered. He sent waves across the industry as he spread his creativity and passion across both the labels, collaborations, and runways.

Tributes 

It feels only right to end this article with some touching tributes to Virgil, honouring his everlasting legacy. 

Rest in Power and Peace, Virgil!

Words By Nadia Clasper

_{Photo Credit: Kendall Jenner Instagram}

The post Voir Honours The Legacy Of Virgil Abloh appeared first on Voir Fashion.

Leigh-Anne has been a huge voice for the Black community, making her very own documentary ‘Race, Pop and Power’ throughout the pandemic. This makes her casting even more special, as ‘Boxing Day’ marks the very first British Christmas film focussing solely on Black relationships and culture in London. 

Speaking on being a part of the film, Leigh-Anne said;

“I am truly honoured to have been able to be apart of this film but also truly proud, to witness the arrival of a film that celebrates black culture, black talent and black love.”

Making this all possible was Aml Ameen, who consistently pushed for the film to be set around British Black culture. ‘Boxing Day’ will mark Aml’s directorial debut, with him stating;

“It’s a quintessentially British film but it’s a part of Britain we have never really focused on in cinema. I’m a big fan of Love Actually and Richard Curtis films and took inspiration from his work but I wouldn’t call it the ‘Black Love Actually’.”

The film’s plot is surrounding Ameen’s character Melvin – a British author based in America – who heads back to London for Christmas, bringing his fiancé Lisa (Aja Naomi King) to meet his family. Things don’t run so smoothly when the couple runs into Leigh-Anne’s character, Georgia, a successful singer who Lisa is a massive fan of, who also happens to be Melvin’s ex-girlfriend. 

What happens next is a mystery, which we can’t wait to find out! You can catch ‘Boxing Day’ in UK cinemas from the 3rd of December – a perfect time for festive films to be at the top of your watch list! 

Words By Nadia Clasper

_{Photo Credit: Leigh-Anne Pinnock Instagram}

The post Leigh-Anne Pinnock Makes Film Debut In UK’s First All-Black Cast, Christmas Rom-Com appeared first on Voir Fashion.