Virgil Abloh, Louis Vuitton’s art director and founder of the fashion label Off-White, has died of cancer at the age of 41, it was announced.

To reveal the news, the parent company of the French fashion house LVMH described Abloh as a “genius” and a “visionary”.

The US designer rose to fame as Kanye West’s creative director, but later made history as the first African American to lead Louis Vuitton.

Abloh leaves behind his wife Shannon and their two children.

A statement on his Instagram page described him as a “fiercely devoted father, husband, son, brother and friend.”

Abloh was diagnosed with cardiac angiosarcoma – a rare and aggressive form of cancer – in 2019, but has not made the diagnosis public.

“She has chosen to endure her battle in private since her diagnosis in 2019, undergoing numerous challenging treatments, all while leading several significant institutions that embrace fashion, art and culture,” the statement read.

“Through it all, his work ethic, endless curiosity and optimism have never wavered.”

Abloh was often hailed as one of the most influential designers in the fashion industry, but he was also a DJ and artist and had a degree in civil engineering and architecture.

LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault said: “Virgil was not only a genius designer, a visionary, he was also a man with a beautiful soul and great wisdom.

“The LVMH family joins me in this time of great pain and we are all thinking about their loved ones after the disappearance of their husband, father, brother or their friend.”