Sotheby’s is auctioning 200 pairs of limited edition, collaborative Louis Vuitton and Nike “Air Force 1” sneakers created by the late fashion designer Virgil Abloh, with proceeds benefiting his scholarship fund.
The dedicated online sale will run from Jan. 26 through Feb. 9. This auction marks the first release of the sneakers designed by Abloh for the spring-summer 2022 collection, Sotheby’s said.
Abloh, a fashion designer and entrepreneur who had served as the artistic director of Louis Vuitton's menswear collection since 2018, was involved in the early organization of the auction and related events, which are taking place in association with his family, Sotheby’s said.
The 200 pairs of special-edition sneakers are entirely made in calf leather, embellished with Louis Vuitton’s emblematic monogram and damier patterns with natural cowhide piping. The shoes were also styled with Abloh’s signature quotation marks and are available in men’s sizes from 5 to 18.
Bidding starts at US$2,000 per pair. Proceeds from this sale will benefit The Virgil Abloh “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund, which supports the education of Black students and students of African descent.
The Louis Vuitton and Nike “Air Force 1s” by Virgil Abloh and the pilot case each pair comes in will be on view at Sotheby’s New York galleries, free to the public, from Wednesday through the auction.
A trained architect, Abloh worked in fashion and music and launched his own label, Off-Whilte, in 2013. In July, Louis Vuitton announced it would be taking a 60% stake in Off-White, with Abloh retaining the remaining 40%.
His first major award was for designing the cover of Watch the Throne, an album collaborated between Jay-Z and Kanye West in 2011. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Recording Package. He was listed as one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people in 2018, one of two designers named that year, and was also nominated for 2019 Menswear Designer of the Year.
In June 2019, Abloh had his first solo museum art exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. But later that year, he was diagnosed with cardiac angiosarcoma, a form of cancer. He remained active throughout his two-year battle with the disease, taking up more artistic responsibilities across Louis Vuitton brands in early 2021. He died in November at age 41.
Sotheby’s to Auction 200 Pairs of Louis Vuitton x Nike ‘Air Force 1’ Sneakers Created by Virgil Abloh | Barron's (barrons.com)
