Abloh, however, said he doesn’t see a wider industry need to slow down anytime soon.
“I’m the type where I don’t think the industry is too fast. Of course there are signs of that, but I just think if culture is moving this fast, this is how fast design needs to move,” he told BoF. “Instagram scrolls really fast, it needs content. I’ve always said Instagram is like the miles-per-hour of culture.”
This year, it's clear Abloh has no plans to dial back on his creative output. His latest tie-up with Jacob & Co, the luxury jeweller well known for its popularity among hip hop artists in the ‘90s and early naughts, is a paperclip-inspired fine jewellery collection. Dubbed “Office Supplies,” the collaboration builds on Abloh’s “Recycled Jumbo Paper Clips,” a project he first debuted last January on Instagram.
This new “Office Supplies” collection is made-to-order, and will only be available through a paper application process, where Abloh and Jacob & Co founder Jacob Arabo will personally review each request. Prices for the collection, which includes a money clip, bracelet, earrings and a necklace, each bejewelled with pavé diamonds, range from $3,000 to $72,000.
“I’m sort of jumping off the timeline of the modern Instagram pace of commerce to make decisions about an idea,” Abloh said. “The idea is that these pieces end up in collections of people that understand and appreciate the design, not simply just making another purchase.”