Virgil Abloh Foundation names new chief creative officer

The Virgil Abloh Foundation (VAF) said on Thursday Athiththan Selvendran, Virgil Abloh’s former chief of staff and currently the chief operating officer of Virgil Abloh Securities (VAS), has been promoted to chief creative officer.

​​The announcement, made by Virgil’s wife, Shannon Abloh, marks an expansion of Selvendran’s role and his influence as a creative force and strategist, according to a press release.

As chief creative officer of the foundation, the executive will be responsible for the preservation, cataloging, and launch of the Virgil Abloh archives. He will also lead the creative design and implementation of global initiatives and impact programming like Abloh Air and co-lead brand collaborations and partnerships designed to increase exposure and opportunities for aspiring creatives, cultural leaders, and community builders. 

Shannon established VAF in 2022 to continue the philanthropic work she and Virgil were passionate about and to uphold Virgil’s legacy as a designer, visionary, and cultural pioneer.

In his dual capacities, Selvendran will continue to oversee the day-to-day operations of VAS, the central hub for all creative projects, organizations, and brands owned by Shannon Abloh. The VAF serves as the philanthropic arm of VAS.

Since 2016, Selvendran has played an integral role across Abloh’s brands, and projects, including Off-White, Louis Vuitton, and Alaska Alaska, the research and design-based studio founded by Abloh in 2017.

Following the multi-hyphenate’s passing, Selvendran has worked alongside Shannon on projects that honor Virgil’s legacy, including Figures of Speech at the Brooklyn Museum (2022), Nike Inc. ℅ Virgil Abloh: The Codes of Architecture, and The Annual Skate Invitational in Miami (2022, 2023, 2024), and the initial development of the Virgil Abloh Foundation.

“Watching Athi grow as a creative while helping build the Virgil Abloh Foundation has been nothing short of extraordinary. His journey has been marked by an unwavering dedication to pushing boundaries, fostering innovation, and ensuring that Virgil’s visionary ethos lives on. Having spent years working alongside Virgil, Athi has developed a deep understanding of what it means to break barriers and redefine creative industries. His innate talent, sharp creative instincts, and ability to connect with people on a profound level make him the ideal person for this role,” said Shannon Abloh.

Selvendran’s promotion comes just two months after Dana Loatman was announced as the foundation’s executive director in February.

“As I step into this role of chief creative officer, my ambition and drive fuel my commitment to upholding Virgil Abloh’s legacy by sharing his ethos, rhetoric, and methodology with the world, alongside Shannon Abloh and the foundation team,” said Selvendran.

“My desire is to build pathways that allow all young people to dream, seek, and believe in their visions, guiding them to build confidence as they grow and feel that their ideas are welcomed and that they belong in all spaces, with the ultimate goal of self-expression within any discipline without limitations. I look forward to continuing to immerse myself in this work and applying an ideological framework of bringing people together who have had their own lived experience and creative journeys to cross-pollinate, collaborate and create ongoing dialogue. My belief is that, together with all our friends, family, and collaborators, we will provide access to the next generation of young creatives by opening doors, fostering their creative energy through exposure, and architecting fruitful opportunities to become part of the future narrative of creativity.”