‘Ode to Virgil’ is an interactive app for fans of the iconic maker, designer and visionary Virgil Abloh. Abloh’s untimely death served as inspiration for this virtual memorial. Street memorials have long been a place for communal grieving and celebration of life. People come together with bits of memorabilia, totems and personal creations to celebrate and honor the departed.

During the COVID19 pandemic lockdown, mass gatherings have been discouraged and even outlawed. ‘Ode to Virgil’ offers fans the opportunity to gather and commemorate virtually.

The project was created using a combination of low-fidelity hand sketching, medium-fidelity Figma mockups and high-fidelity Origami prototyping. The interaction involves a brief onboarding process with a short introduction to the designer. Followed by entry into the ‘Shrine’. Users choose between one of four cityscapes - popular design destinations in world cities. Here they view memorabilia added by other users. Once they choose the city, the user can customize their memorial by creating their own ‘Swag Tag’. They have the option to add text (choosing between three of Virgil’s preferred fonts), stickers, and photos of themselves or their favorite Virgil creations. Once ready to post, they can add their creations to the shrine and position them as they choose.

Design cues were taken from Virgil’s brand, Off-White and his collaborations with popular lifestyle brands. 'Ode to Virgil' is a fitting tribute to a master of street style; bringing the street to the fans instead of the fans to the streets.