Louvre and Virgil Abloh unveil Da Vinci-themed clothing collection

France's Louvre museum announced on Friday the launch of a clothing collection designed by Virgil Abloh, the artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear collection and Off-White, in honour of a hotly anticipated Leonardo da Vinci exhibition.

Some Da Vinci’s most famous paintings, including ‘The Virgin of the Rocks’ and ‘Saint Anne’ come to life in a collection of t-shirts and sweatshirts that combine typical Off-White markings with elements from the timeless classics.

“It’s a crucial part of my overall body of work to prove that any place, no matter how exclusive it seems, is accessible to everyone. That you can be interested in expressing yourself through more than one practice and that creativity does not have to be tied to just one discipline. I think that Leonardo da Vinci was maybe the first artist to live by that principle, and I am trying to as well,” said Virgil Abloh in a press release.

The capsule collection will be available for purchase at the museum gift shop and online via Off-White.com and Farfetch, as well as in shops including Off White Paris, Off-White Milan, EM_PTY Gallery, and Browns, with prices from $355 to $640.

The limited collection is showcased in a campaign shot inside the Grande Galerie of the Louvre, the world’s most visited museum, to capture “the immense history” preserved in its archive.

The Louvre’s permanent collection includes various works by Da Vinci, including the ‘Mona Lisa’ and 22 drawings and sketches. This year, the museum marked 500 years since the death of the Italian Renaissance master.

Abloh is one of the leading designers in fashion, having introduced a new streetwear aesthetic with his Off-White brand in 2013. Last year, he was named creative director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear collection, a role he has used to drive multiple collaborations with brands including Nike and Ikea.

His style is closely linked to that of successful rappers like Kid Cudi and Kanye West, with whom he shares a passion for streetwear-inspired looks. His aesthetics has helped elevate a side of fashion that used to be considered too casual for designer labels, taking the sports shoe, t-shirt and sweatshirt to a whole new level.