Virgil Abloh -- the artistic director for Louis Vuitton and the founder of Off-White -- has died ... this according to his respective fashion houses.
Louis' parent company, LVMH, made the stunning announcement Sunday ... saying Virgil passed away Sunday of cancer, a disease he'd been carrying and battling privately for several years now apparently.
Their CEO Bernard Arnault adds, "We are all shocked after this terrible news. Virgil was not only a genius designer, a visionary, he was also a man with a beautiful soul and great wisdom.