Make It Ours

BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The Washington Post, The New Yorker, Elle From Pulitzer Prize-winning culture critic Robin Givhan comes a groundbreaking chronicle of the legacy of Virgil Abloh, whose iconic rise to the top of the fashion industry transformed our ideas about the connection between who we are and what we wear 'Captivating and beautifully written' Tom Ford 'Thoughtful, intelligent, honest and masterfully crafted' Marc Jacobs 'A thrilling journey into the mind of a genius.' Edward Enninful 'A must-read' Elaine Welteroth ---------- In the spring of 2018, Louis Vuitton sent shockwaves around the fashion industry. They appointed Virgil Abloh, a designer with no formal training, to be the head of menswear and the first Black artistic director in the brand's 164-year history - a cultural moment that would upend a century's worth of ideas about luxury and taste. Using one man's remarkable path to the top of the luxury establishment, Make It Ours uncovers the larger story of how the cloistered, exclusive fashion world faced a revolution from below, dressed in puffer jackets and sneakers. From the designers emboldened to storm the gates, to the simple T-shirt coming to hold as much cultural power as an haute couture gown, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Robin Givhan chronicles how Abloh propelled an entire industry forward. With unparalleled access to Abloh's family, friends, collaborators, and contemporaries like Ozwald Boateng and Abloh's mercurial but critical employer and mentor Kanye West, Givhan weaves a spellbinding biography of a singular creative force and a powerful meditation on fashion and race, taste and exclusivity, genius and luxury.

BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The Washington Post, The New Yorker, Elle From Pulitzer Prize-winning culture critic Robin Givhan comes a groundbreaking chronicle of the legacy of Virgil Abloh, whose iconic rise to the top of the fashion industry transformed our ideas about the connection between who we are and what we wear 'Captivating and beautifully written' Tom Ford 'Thoughtful, intelligent, honest and masterfully crafted' Marc Jacobs 'A thrilling journey into the mind of a genius.' Edward Enninful 'A must-read' Elaine Welteroth ---------- In the spring of 2018, Louis Vuitton sent shockwaves around the fashion industry. They appointed Virgil Abloh, a designer with no formal training, to be the head of menswear and the first Black artistic director in the brand's 164-year history - a cultural moment that would upend a century's worth of ideas about luxury and taste. Using one man's remarkable path to the top of the luxury establishment, Make It Ours uncovers the larger story of how the cloistered, exclusive fashion world faced a revolution from below, dressed in puffer jackets and sneakers. From the designers emboldened to storm the gates, to the simple T-shirt coming to hold as much cultural power as an haute couture gown, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Robin Givhan chronicles how Abloh propelled an entire industry forward. With unparalleled access to Abloh's family, friends, collaborators, and contemporaries like Ozwald Boateng and Abloh's mercurial but critical employer and mentor Kanye West, Givhan weaves a spellbinding biography of a singular creative force and a powerful meditation on fashion and race, taste and exclusivity, genius and luxury.

BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR 2025: Washington Post, New Yorker, Elle 'Captivating, emotional and illuminating' Tom Ford 'Thoughtful, intelligent, honest and masterfully crafted' Marc Jacobs 'A thrilling journey into the mind of a genius.' Edward Enninful 'A must-read' Elaine Welteroth, bestselling author of More Than Enough -- From Pulitzer Prize-winning culture critic Robin Givhan comes a groundbreaking chronicle of the legacy of Virgil Abloh, whose iconic rise to the top of the fashion industry transformed our ideas about the connection between who we are and what we wear In 2018, shockwaves were sent around the fashion industry when Virgil Abloh was appointed the head of menswear for Louis Vuitton. Despite no formal training in pattern-making or tailoring, Abloh had become the first Black designer to serve as artistic director in the brand’s 164-year history. Make It Ours tells the story of how that moment came to be and how Abloh came to symbolise and embody the industry’s way forward. Using Abloh’s surprising path to the top of the luxury establishment, Givhan unfolds the larger story of how the cloistered, exclusive fashion world faced a revolution from below in the form of streetwear and designers unafraid to storm the gate, and how a simple t-shirt came to hold as much cultural power as a haute couture gown. With unparalleled access to Abloh’s family, friends, collaborators, and contemporaries, and featuring a cast of fascinating characters ranging from groundbreaking Black designers like Ozwald Boateng to Abloh’s mercurial but critical employer and mentor Kanye West, Givhan weaves a spellbinding tale of a young man’s rise amidst a cultural moment that would upend a century’s worth of ideas about luxury and taste. This is at once a remarkable biography of a singular creative force and a powerful meditation on fashion and race, taste and exclusivity, genius and luxury.

BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR 2025: Washington Post, New Yorker, Elle 'Captivating, emotional and illuminating' Tom Ford 'Thoughtful, intelligent, honest and masterfully crafted' Marc Jacobs 'A thrilling journey into the mind of a genius.' Edward Enninful 'A must-read' Elaine Welteroth, bestselling author of More Than Enough -- From Pulitzer Prize-winning culture critic Robin Givhan comes a groundbreaking chronicle of the legacy of Virgil Abloh, whose iconic rise to the top of the fashion industry transformed our ideas about the connection between who we are and what we wear In 2018, shockwaves were sent around the fashion industry when Virgil Abloh was appointed the head of menswear for Louis Vuitton. Despite no formal training in pattern-making or tailoring, Abloh had become the first Black designer to serve as artistic director in the brand’s 164-year history. Make It Ours tells the story of how that moment came to be and how Abloh came to symbolise and embody the industry’s way forward. Using Abloh’s surprising path to the top of the luxury establishment, Givhan unfolds the larger story of how the cloistered, exclusive fashion world faced a revolution from below in the form of streetwear and designers unafraid to storm the gate, and how a simple t-shirt came to hold as much cultural power as a haute couture gown. With unparalleled access to Abloh’s family, friends, collaborators, and contemporaries, and featuring a cast of fascinating characters ranging from groundbreaking Black designers like Ozwald Boateng to Abloh’s mercurial but critical employer and mentor Kanye West, Givhan weaves a spellbinding tale of a young man’s rise amidst a cultural moment that would upend a century’s worth of ideas about luxury and taste. This is at once a remarkable biography of a singular creative force and a powerful meditation on fashion and race, taste and exclusivity, genius and luxury.