Black Twitter was not pleased with Virgil Abloh’s latest creative endeavor after he created face masks with Emmett Till’s name and the phrase “For Freedom.” The masks were used during a photoshoot for Naomi Osaka’s January 2021 cover story with Vogue.
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User @negrostradamus uploaded screenshots of the photoshoot from Abloh’s official Instagram page and wrote the following caption “Virgil Abloh is going to HELL” in response to the content. They also noted that the designer limited the comments on the Instagram post so fans couldn’t react to Osaka’s photos. Another user said, “I can get by with black fashion brands using “protect black people” with giving to charities but WTF does EMMETT TILL has to do with a DAM MASK
virgil abloh is going to HELL pic.twitter.com/LL8NzpWdl6
— Barbudos Rambo ☭ 🇰🇪 (@negrostradamus) December 12, 2020
This is what happens when you put capitalism, performative activism and money over the integrity and liberation of your own people. pic.twitter.com/MUjtjcm6Jp
— myles (@waterboi_23) December 12, 2020
this is what happens when you lack real creativity and you start doing shit you think will please the masses but you just end up looking dumb af.
— Amb. (@ajscribes) December 12, 2020
Rich black people especially celebs are way too out of touch w reality bc how the hell did he even get as far as to posting this shit on his insta??? Why didn’t he see that it was not okay from the BEGINNING??? pic.twitter.com/r48zCvlSTM
— Arlee 🌺 TOLD EM BLACK LIVES MATTA IMMA RIOT (@Arleanabb) December 12, 2020
AND he didn’t learn anything from when he got dragged this summer for donating $50 to a bail fund & posting it to ig like he did something??
— Moon Power Maroon (@TeaxSkin) December 12, 2020
I went to his site just to see if they were for sale I don’t see it online . I kinda think this was just for a photo shoot , but if he does sell this shit he’s really weird because what do you gain from making a “designer” mask with a dead black boys name on it if you not gon-
— Cy’erra (@SeaAirRahh) December 12, 2020
This is literally the most distasteful thing I ever laid my eyes on smh. And I know he feels no shame pic.twitter.com/reJs1aOzp5
— Ashley ♒︎ (@ashleyy128xo) December 12, 2020
This is Money, MS this is the exact street where the gas station is at where he supposedly whistled at a white woman.. It’s a ghost town in Money it’s not far from my home in Indianola. He should come to Mississippi get EDUCATED FIRST and Feel it spiritually and then make art.👏🏾 pic.twitter.com/SPyOfTXkbd
— Jülien 🏴 𒅌 (@julientheartist) December 12, 2020
This is not the first time Virgil Abloh has faced criticism for his work. Back in June, the designer posted a screenshot when he donated $50 to Black Lives Matter and another time when he designed the cover art for Pop Smoke’s posthumous debut album.
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