Sotheby’s auctions 200 pairs of Louis Vuitton x Nike sneakers
- Fashion Featured
Schenelle Dsouza- 6 minutes read
Schenelle Dsouza
Luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton collaborated with American auction house Sotheby’s to auction off 200 pairs of Nike “Air Force 1” sneakers designed by the house’s late designer Virgil Abloh.
Nike “Air Force 1”
Originally designed in 1982, the Nike Air Force 1 is a classic, and by far one of the most successful shoes to ever be designed. It was created by designer Bruce Kilgore and was the first basketball shoe that was created with the Nike Air technology.
The new Nike Air Force 1 was originally created to be a part of Louis Vuitton’s Spring-Summer ’22 collection. Virgil Abloh collaborated with Nike on the 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 auction marks the first-ever release of the Louis Vuitton and Nike “Air Force 1” by Virgil Abloh created for the Louis Vuitton Spring-Summer 2022 Collection. Prior to his passing on November 28 last year, the Louis Vuitton Men’s Artistic Director was involved in the early organization of the auction and its surrounding events.
“Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund
All proceeds from the auction will be donated to the “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund created by Virgil Abloh in July 2020. It was called The Virgil Abloh™ “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund and was launched in partnership with the Fashion Scholarship Fund, on a $1 million donation by Virgil Abloh partnered with Evian, Farfetch, Louis Vuitton, New Guards Group, and Nike.
The mission statement of the fund is to foster equity and inclusion within the fashion industry by providing scholarships to academically promising students of Black, African American, or African descent.
The recipients will get funds, as well as ongoing career-support services and mentoring through the FSF (Free Software Foundation). “Post-Modern” Scholars are selected each year from FSF’s network of 66+ colleges and universities across the US, including eight HBCUs, through the annual FSF Scholarship Competition.
The auction
The sale which features 200 shoes will begin from January 26 up to February 9 on the auction house’s website. This will be the first drop of sneakers designed by Virgil for the brand’s Spring/Summer 2022 collection.
The shoes will open with bids starting from 2,000 USD, with sizes ranging from 5 to 18. While the bidding only starts on January 26, the shoes have been on display for the public at the auctioneer’s Manhattan galleries since January 19.
