The Royal College of Art (RCA) has announced the establishment of a new annual scholarship in memory of the late fashion designer Virgil Abloh, offering the scholarship annually to “an extraordinarily talented, but financially restricted, Black British student”.

It’s coming up to almost 12 months since Virgil Abloh passed away, in which he left a legacy of supporting young creatives in education and we see this still lives on today. Along his long affiliation with the RCA since 2020, this year a £35,000 scholarship has been founded thanks to the generosity of an unknown donor in the United States.

This effort seeks to break down educational obstacles and support the next generation of innovative designers and innovators. The chosen scholar will gain professional experience and networking opportunities, and will be supported throughout their studies by British fashion designer Samuel Ross and other creative industries partners.

The Virgil Abloh Scholarship was founded with the help of Shannon Abloh, the late designer’s wife, and the Fashion Scholarship Fund team in the United States.“Over the years, the RCA and Virgil formed a beautiful relationship based on a shared appreciation of collaboration, creative vision, and of course, education” Shannon Abloh says. We know that the RCA Virgil Abloh scholarship will break down financial barriers to fulfilling creative potential and empower talented young individuals to dream even bigger.”

To find out more about the programme, visit the RCA site here.