Kanye West's Abloh takes over Louis Vuitton menswear

American designer and celebrity DJ Virgil Abloh is take over at Louis Vuitton, the brand said Monday, in a dramatic shake-up at the top of men's fashion.

The appointment of rap star Kanye West's longtime creative director to the French luxury label shows the massive impact street style is now having on fashion.

Abloh, 37, a former architect, who has won plaudits for his own Off-White label, posted a picture of a vintage Louis Vuitton travel chest to his 1.6 million Instagram followers to announce the news.

"It is an honour for me to accept the position of men's artistic director for Louis Vuitton," he said in a statement released by the brand.

"I find the heritage and creative integrity of the house are key inspirations and will look to reference them both while drawing parallels to modern times," he added.

Abloh takes over from British designer Kim Jones, and will stage his first Vuitton show during Paris men's fashion week in June, the label said.

He looks set to continue Jones' high-profile hook-ups with street style labels, with Jones famously teaming up with New York street brand Supreme.

Abloh -- who has an address book full of celebrity friends that goes from the Kardashian clan to the art world -- is responsible for some of the most sought-after trainers of the moment.

The "Ten" design his Off-White label did for Nike has reportedly sold for as much as $2,000 (1,600 euros) a pair, with his Air Jordan 1s on sale for up to 950 euros on eBay.