Earlier this week, the fashion world was stunned by the death of Virgil Abloh.
The Louis Vuitton designer passed away following a battle with cancer that he had chosen to keep private.
He was just 41 years old.
Abloh had numerous friends in the entertainment industry, but he was especially close with frequent collaborator Kanye West.
Fans expected that West would post some sort of social media tribute to his late friend, and they were surprised when no such post appeared.
Instead, the rapper expressed his grief silently, wiping his Instagram account clean by deleting everything he had ever posted.
We probably don't need to tell you that West has gained a reputation for sharing his innermost thoughts on social media.
And it appears that he's done so in this case, though not in the outspoken fashion that fans have come to expect.
Everyone mourns differently, of course, and disappearing from the public eye for a while might be West's way of coping with his grief.
But the move has sparked concerns among the rapper's most devoted fans, many of whom are forever on the lookout for signs of deteriorating mental health.
Abloh's death comes at a time when West already appeared to be in a very fragile emotional state.
For months, we heard rumors that Kanye's divorce from Kim Kardashian was proceeding as civilly as could be expected.
But then the situation abruptly changed.
Kim began dating Pete Davidson, and Kanye started making public statements about his estranged wife that didn't align with previous reports about the amicable separation.
Suddenly, Kanye wanted Kim back -- and he wanted the whole world to know how desperate he was for a second chance.
At a Thanksgiving edition of Kanye's "Sunday Service" worship ceremony, the rapper spoke openly of his desire for a reconciliation.
“All I think about every day is how I get my family back together and how I heal the pain that I’ve caused,” West told the crowd, according to Page Six.
“I take accountability for my actions," he added.
“On this Thanksgiving I’m so thankful for family. My blood family, my fans and our haters, we love you too.”
While West has been silent on social media in the days since Abloh's death, he did hold his weekly service on the day that his dear friend passed away.
Witnesses say Kanye crooned a version of Adele's “Easy on Me,” with the lyrics altered to reflect his spiritual beliefs.
“I know your love flows like a river, and I could wash myself in it forever,” he sang.
“I know there is hope in these waters, but I can’t bring myself to swim when I am drowning in my sin.”
Kim was also a close friend of Abloh's, and it's unknown if she and Kanye have communicated since the passing of their mutual friend.
Earlier this week, Kim shared a series of photos of Abloh, including the one above that shows her standing alongside both the late designer and her ex-husband.
Our thoughts go out to Abloh's loved ones during this extraordinarily difficult time.
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