A number of exclusive Louis Vuitton and Nike, “Air Force 1” by Virgil Abloh sneakers have been filtering through Instagram this past week of friends and family of the late designer. On January 19, the luxury Parisian Maison announced they’ll be dropping these limited edition colorways for sneakerheads and fashion aficionados alike to add to their wardrobe thanks to a new collaboration with the world’s premier destination for art and luxury auction, Sotheby’s.
The auction marks the first-ever release of the Louis Vuitton and Nike “Air Force 1” created by Virgil Abloh in collaboration with Louis Vuitton and Nike for the Louis Vuitton Spring-Summer 2022 Collection. Together Louis Vuitton and Sotheby’s will auction 200 pairs of the special edition Louis Vuitton and Nike “Air Force 1” by Virgil Abloh sneakers to the public with bidding starting at $2,000. “It was important for us to keep the starting bid price accessible for all fans of Virgil Abloh and Louis Vuitton to be able to be a part of it” mentioned a member of Louis Vuitton explained at the Sotheby’s press preview.
Peruse of Virgil’s Louis Vuitton we’ve all come to love, bespoke Air Force 1s, fusing the trainer’s classic codes with the heritage motif and materials of Louis Vuitton in homage to the hip-hop culture that shaped him. Each pair of sneakers will be auctioned off with a Louis Vuitton pilot case from the Louis Vuitton Spring-Summer 2022 collection, a rendition of an archival piece from the Maison’s archive in an iconic orange colorway made of Monogram Taurillon Leather.
Prior to Abloh’s untimely passing on November 28, the Louis Vuitton Men’s Artistic Director was involved in the early stages of the auction, and a string of Louis Vuitton events to take place from January through 2022 celebrating it’s bicentennial, including the Fall-Winter 2022 Menswear debut today. Bidding for the Louis Vuitton and Nike “Air Force 1” by Virgil Abloh will begin on January 26 and close on February 8, via Sotheby’s website. Proceeds will benefit The Virgil Abloh™ “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund, which supports the education of academically promising students of Black, African American, or African descent in partnership with the Fashion Scholarship Fund.
