Even though they are gone, the works of the late Virgil Abloh are still ‘alive’ in the world fashion industry. Recently, Louis Vuitton and Nike have announced the Air Force 1 Virgil Abloh sneakers will be auctioned.
Reporting from WWD, sneakers by Virgil Abloh will soon be auctioned in collaboration between Louis Vuitton and Nike. An Air Force 1 Virgil Abloh sneaker from this collaboration was created as a tribute to hip-hop culture.
“The cover embodies the early practice of the hip-hop community in bringing together high-end fashion and sportswear, setting aside different brands with equal respect,” Vuitton said at the time, reported by WWD, Thursday (20/1/2022).
“A cultural symbol in its own right, today the Nike Air Force 1 serves as an artistic symbol of the origin of a self-generated subculture,” added Vuitton.
A total of 200 pairs of sneakers will be auctioned at Sotheby’s from January 26 to February 8, 2022. These Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1 Virgil Abloh sneakers are available in exclusive colors and sizes from 5–18, with bids starting at $2,000. (Rp 28.7 million). The proceeds from this sneaker auction will later be donated to Abloh’s “Post Modern” Scholarship Fund.
Vuitton itself says that the collaboration was inspired by the cover of the 1988 album “It Takes Two” by hip-hop duo Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock. The cover shows E-Z Rock wearing a modified Nike Air Force 1 basketball trainer with a swoosh emblazoned with the LV monogram.
Previously, Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1 sneakers were introduced in June 2021 in the Spring 2022 collection. Abloh himself has 47 pairs of Nike Air Force 1 sneakers for the spring show.
As for the material, the Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1 sneakers are made from materials used in Abloh’s Louis Vuitton men’s collection. The Off-White characteristic is also embedded in the sneakers.
In addition to being auctioned, the Louis Vuitton x Air Force 1 Virgil Abloh sneakers will also be sold in limited quantities at the end of this year. The sneakers will be available in limited quantities exclusively at Louis Vuitton.