• Prior to his death, Virgil Abloh was considering launching a DAO, social token, and NFTs, according to Fred Ehrsam.
• Ehrsam stated that Abloh wanted to join Web3 in order to “shift the balance of power in favor of creators.”
• As the technology began to gain mainstream attention this year, Abloh reportedly inspired many artists to join the NFT boom.

Ehrsam described Abloh as “ahead of the curve on Web3.”

Web3 Holds Potential for Virgil Abloh

According to Virgil Abloh’s co-founder Fred Ehrsam, Virgil Abloh was interested in crypto and Web3.

Ehrsam shared a post detailing how he had been in contact with Abloh to help him launch a DAO and run of NFTs in a Sunday tweet storm, hours after news of Abloh’s death had surfaced online. “Virgil Abloh was a trailblazer in the fields of music, art, and fashion.” Most people are unaware that he was also ahead of the curve with Web3,” Ehrsam wrote.

Ehrsam shared a link to a document in which Abloh laid out his vision for a DAO. The “Skyscraper” project included plans to launch a social token, form partnerships with crypto-native projects such as Zora, and design NFTs. A quote from Abloh appears in the project’s preface:

“I’ve been thinking about starting a real-life, digital museum.” To make it an institution where the currency used in that space is my one-of-a-kind social token. Inside the space will be my work, as well as the work of a community of adjacent artists who will be operating on a token of the space.”

Ehrsam’s post also revealed that Abloh wanted to investigate Web3 in order to “move us a little closer to a creative utopia.” He went on to say that Abloh “wanted to fundamentally change the balance of power in favor of creators,” and that their discussions took place months before the NFT space exploded in 2021. According to Ehrsam, Abloh’s faith in the Web3 space inspired a slew of creators to join the NFT movement as it gained traction throughout the year.

Ehrsam wrapped up the note with a sneak peek at Abloh’s first planned NFT, which depicts his envisioned DAO smashing into the Louvre in a nod to Web3’s potential to disrupt gatekeeping in the traditional art world.

Abloh, 41, died on Sunday of a rare form of cancer. LMVH announced the news on social media, revealing that he had been privately battling the disease for several years. In the creative industry, Abloh was regarded as a visionary. He was best known for his work as the creative director of the popular fashion label Off-White, and he later became the artistic director of menswear at Louis Vuitton. He was an avid DJ and curated the visual direction for some of Kanye West’s most iconic albums outside of the fashion world. Following the news of Abloh’s death, tributes to him were led by Pharrell, Drake, and Gigi Hadid.