Closer Look at The Louis Vuitton and Nike “Air Force 1" by Virgil Abloh
The grandiose kicks feature LV’s Monogram and Damier patterns and come housed in an exclusive pilot case.
The mark that Virgil Abloh made on the sneaker game is so profound that it’s hard to imagine that anyone else will replicate it. Despite the fact that the generational talent is no longer with us, we still have the opportunity to treasure all of his culture-shifting designs, and the latest to surface is The Louis Vuitton and Nike “Air Force 1” by Virgil Abloh. The French luxury house officially uncovered the shoes and the details to the Sotheby’s auction in which they are being released, and HYPEBEAST got a chance to see them up close and personal.
If there’s one thing that’s certain here, it’s the fact that these are far different from the normal Air Force 1s that you’d be able to pick up in your local mall. The overall shape of the classic basketball-turned-lifestyle silhouette is kept intact, but Abloh meticulously picked out certain luxe fabrics and implemented various details that elevate the Swoosh model to a level of imperial splendor.
A duo of Vuitton’s signature patterns are brought to the fore including its classic brown Monogram and its Damier graphics, the former of which is responsible for adorning the tongues and the side walls while the latter is arranged on the toe boxes, Swooshes and the heel overlays. It wouldn’t be a proper Abloh collaboration if it was bereft of any Helvetica branding, so the late designed elected to print “AIR” hits on the midsoles “LACET” notations on the creamy laces in dark brown text along with Louis Vuitton branding on the medial sides and heels with gilded finishes. Extra details to call out include the tongue tabs that have been scooted over to the lateral side and feature “Louis Vuitton Air” branding on the exterior and the size of the shoes on the inside.
This exclusive colorway is limited to a mere 200 pairs and will be launching via Sotheby’s through an auction that will run from January 26 to February 8. Bidding starts at $2,000 USD and 100% of the proceeds will benefit The Virgil Abloh™ “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund, which alongside the Fashion Scholarship Fund, works to support the education of academically promising Black, African-American, and African students.
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In case you missed it, Louis Vuitton has unveiled its “Amen Break” Men’s SS22 residency in Soho.
