Sotheby’s Virgil Abloh–Designed Louis Vuitton X Nike Sneakers Auctioned At Record Breaking Rates
In the highly anticipated auction that marked the first-ever release of the Louis Vuitton and Nike “Air Force 1” sneakers and Louis Vuitton pilot case created by Virgil Abloh, the 200-lot sale achieved a total of $25.3 million yesterday—more than eight times the auction’s overall $3 million high estimate.
In the most valuable charity auction hosted at Sotheby’s in 10 years, proceeds from the sale benefit The Virgil Abloh™ “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund in partnership with the Fashion Scholarship Fund, which supports the education of talented students of Black, African American, or African descent.
The Nike Air Force 1, celebrating its 40th year, was designed in 1982 and is one of the most successful and iconic shoes ever created. On the occasion of the Louis Vuitton Men’s Spring-Summer 2022 runway show, Virgil Abloh collaborated with Nike to design 47 pairs of bespoke Air Force 1s, fusing the trainer’s classic codes with the insignia and materials of Louis Vuitton in homage to the hip-hop culture that shaped him.
The sneakers were made with materials employed in Abloh’s Louis Vuitton men’s collections, and styled with his signature quotation marks, echoing the written graphics Abloh often used in his work. The individual styles designed for the show were made by Louis Vuitton in its shoe manufacture in Fiesso d’Artico, Italy.
A total of 200 pairs are being made available for this auction in an exclusive colorway and in a range of sizes. The sneakers, entirely made in leather, are embellished with Louis Vuitton’s emblematic Monogram and Damier patterns with natural cowhide piping. Each pair will be sold in a Louis Vuitton pilot case, exclusive to this auction. Reimagined in an orange colorway by Virgil Abloh for the Louis Vuitton Spring-Summer 2022 collection, the historic case timelessly blends a rigid yet supple exterior. Crafted from Taurillon Monogram Leather – a signature of many of Virgil Abloh’s leathergoods creations – this new interpretation is a testament to the inimitable savoir-faire of Louis Vuitton’s finest artisans. It features the Maison’s classic S lock closure in white metal finishing and a luggage tag in the shape of the Nike Swoosh, adapting to every shoe size, based on an internal cushion system.