Key Takeaways
- Ib Kamara steps down as Off-White’s creative director after shaping the brand since 2022.
- Collaboration and global runway moments marked Kamara’s influence on Off-White’s direction.
- Both Off-White owners and Kamara say the split is mutual, with opportunities for collaboration in the future.
It’s the end of an era for Off-White. On Monday (Aug. 31) morning, Ib Kamara announced that he’ll be stepping down as the Virgil Abloh-founded label's creative director after joining as Art and Image Director in 2022.
“Working at Off-White has been an honour and a profound creative education. The teams I have worked alongside, the collections we produced, the shows we dreamt, and the conversations we sparked — I will carry all of it with me, and I am deeply grateful for every person who gave their energy and talent to this vision,” Kamara told WWD in a statement.
“Off-White is bigger than any one idea, exactly as Virgil intended — a house with genuine values, rooted in culture, community, and the belief that fashion can speak to everyone,” he continued. “I leave with enormous pride in all we have made, and with nothing but excitement for what this house will continue to become.”
Their split is being described as “mutual,” with Bluestar Alliance — which acquired the brand from LVMH in September 2024 — leaving the door “open to future collaborations.” Take a look at Kamara’s announcement below, then keep scrolling for a brief look back at his tenure at Off-White.
How Ib Kamara helped shape Off-White after Virgil Abloh
According to WWD, Kamara, who previously served as editor-in-chief at Dazed, was one of Abloh’s close collaborators, having styled several of the brand’s shows and worked with designers such as Riccardo Tisci and Erdem Moralioglu. In 2024, he also brought the label’s first New York fashion show to life, where Suni Lee, Issa Rae, Flavor Flav, and Victoria Monét were among the many recognizable names sitting front row.
If nothing else, Kamara’s contributions to Off-White were “instrumental in shaping and evolving the brand,” Bluestar Alliance CEO Joey Gabbay said. “We are deeply grateful for Ib’s vision, creativity, and the remarkable energy he brought to Off-White throughout his tenure,” he added.
It’ll definitely be interesting to see where Kamara heads next and what’s in store for Off-White. Until then, scroll through photos of the aforementioned fashion show below.
