What is Cardiac Angiosarcoma? Virgil Abloh's cause of death explored as Off-White founder dies aged 41

Fashion designer Virgil Abloh passed away at the age of 41 after a long battle with cancer. The news of his death was confirmed on November 28 in an official statement posted on his Instagram account.

According to the statement, the founder of the luxury fashion label Off-White was suffering from cardiac angiosarcoma, a “rare and aggressive” form of cancer. He was reportedly diagnosed in 2019 and decided to fight the battle for life in private.

The Louis Vuitton artistic director underwent several “challenging treatments” since his diagnosis while pioneering the fashion industry through his notable works.

Virgil Abloh leaves behind his wife Shannon Abloh, children Lowe Abloh and Grey Abloh, parents Nee and Eunice Abloh and sister Edwina Abloh.

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All you need to know about Cardiac Angiosarcoma

Cardiac angiosarcoma is known as the cancer of the heart. It mostly occurs in the upper right chamber of the heart (right atrium) and obstructs bloodflow.

According to the National Cancer Institute, cardiac angiosarcoma is a rare form of cancer that forms in the “inner lining of blood vessels and lymph vessels.” It can occur on “the outer surface of the heart, within the chambers of the heart or within the muscle tissue of the heart.”

As per the Johns Hopkins Medicine, a primary cardiac tumor starts in the heart and a secondary cardiac tumor starts in other parts of the body and spreads to the heart. The blocked bloodflow often results in swelling of the feet, legs, ankles, abdomen as well as distension of the neck veins.

It can also result in chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, palpitations, upper facial congestion, issues of heart rhythm and hemoptysis or coughing up blood. Treatment of cardiac angiosarcoma is often considered to be “difficult and challenging.”

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Twitter mourns the loss of Virgil Abloh

Virgil Abloh's untimely demise leaves the fashion industry devastated (Image via Getty Images/Craig Barritt)

Virgil Abloh was undoubtedly one of the most influential names in the fashion industry. Known for his collaborative work with Kanye West, he was also the first African-American designer to hold a leading position at Louis Vuitton.

He also founded Off-White in 2012 and went on to work with some of the biggest companies like Nike, Levi’s, Jimmy Choo, IKEA and Evian, among others. The news of Abloh’s untimely demise left Hollywood and the fashion industry in shock.

LMVH, Louis Vutton and Off-White shared a joint statement on Virgil Abloh’s shocking death on Twitter. Several celebrities and fans also took to social media to mourn the loss of the renowned designer:

As reactions continue to pour in online, it is certain that Virgil Abloh will be missed by his family, friends, colleagues and industry associates. However, he will remain alive through his rich body of work and remembered for his contribution to the fashion industry.