Quick Take 06: Ib Kamara to Lead Art and Image at Off-White

MILAN, Italy — Dazed’s Editor-In-Chief Ibrahim Kamara is having a busy year. Off the back of his directorial project “The Queen is Coming” for Abdel El Tayeb, he has recently been named Off-White’s latest Art and Image Director.

Ibrahim Kamara for W Mag with Naomi Campbell / courtesy @ibkamara

Why it matters? Off-White was founded by the late Virgil Abloh and backed by the Milanese fashion production and distribution holding company New Guards Group. As a long-term styling collaborator with Abloh on a number of projects, including but not limited to Off-White as well as Louis Vuitton Men’s where Abloh served as men’s artistic director, Kamara is a truly rapturous pick.

As the creative visionary to which the proverbial torch has been passed, it perhaps suggests that the core visual pillars that bound previous collaborations between Abloh and Kamara may well continue into the future. Kamara has an exceptional eye for art direction (think rich saturating color palettes and emotionally arresting imagery) and comes with his own suite of creative associates, including photographer Rafael Pavarotti.

However, the title specifically indicates art and image direction; yet not creative direction, which would infer leadership of the seasonal collections themselves. The separation of the tangible output and the aesthetic branding is wise, especially in these times where singular design talents feel far and few between. Where there is room to differentiate is how those clothes and accessories are presented and subsequently how they make current and prospective customers feel. Kamara is well poised to achieve those increasingly difficult goals while a creative design team continues to manage the other key elements. There is a precedent for more synergetic creative decision-making — as seen by teams behind Peter Do and Christopher John Rogers.

In his own words via Instagram: “I am honored to further link my ties to Off-White as their Art & Image Director and be a part of the team that will tell the rest of the story Virgil started writing for us all.”

Learn more about Kamara HERE

Cover photo self-portrait courtesy Ibrahim Kamara