In January, one of most anticipated offerings, the Louis Vuitton and Nike expression of the “Air Force 1” by Virgil Abloh, will be made available to the public through an exclusive auction with Sotheby’s.
When all 47 pairs of ‘Air Force 1’ sneakers debuted on the Louis Vuitton SS22 “Amen Break” runway during the Summer of 2021, it immediately sparked conversations amongst sneakerheads about this being one of, if not the best, a fusion of haute couture and streetwear that the community had ever laid its eyes on.
The French luxury house has collaborated with Nike and Sotheby’s to auction off an exclusive colourway from the collection for charity. This public release will include 200 pairs made in Fiesso d’Artico, Italy, all of which are designed with uppers that feature a duo of LV’s signature patterns and premium quality fabrics and range in size from 5 to 18. Classic dark brown Monogram graphics adorn the calf leather tongues, quarter panels, and overlays, while white and grey Damier patterns adorn the Swooshes and heel overlays.
The laces feature Abloh’s signature Helvetica branding via the French word “LACET,” which translates to “lace” in English, as well as regal “Louis Vuitton for Nike” hits on the medial side beneath the Swooshes and “AIR” notations on the midsoles. The tongue branding — “Louis Vuitton Air” — has been shifted to the lateral side, and the interior liners have been treated with beige skin to match the base layer’s cowhide piping. Furthermore, each pair will be housed in an exclusive Taurillon leather pilot case that is submerged in a bright orange hue, embossed with all-over Monogram patterns, and equipped with Swoosh-shaped and LV-branded luggage tags.
Bidding for this Sotheby’s auction will take place from January 26 to February 8 and will begin at $2,000 USD. The Virgil AblohTM “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund, which works alongside the Fashion Scholarship Fund to support the education of academically promising Black, African-American, and African students, will receive 100% of the proceeds from the sale.
Louis Vuitton plans to display the 47 “Nike Air Force 1” instalments designed by Virgil Abloh in a pop-up exhibition, as well as to conduct a commercial drop of additional colourways at a later date. On Thursday, January 20, LV will present Abloh’s Fall 2022 menswear collection, which Michael Burke, chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton, confirms was 95 percent finished prior to the designer’s tragic death.
