Bidding for a limited-edition pair of Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1 sneakers designed by late fashion legend Virgil Abloh has already reached $90,000, and there’s still more than a week of auction time left.
The coveted size 11 kicks, designated Lot 178 at Sotheby’s ongoing online auction, were initially estimated to fetch between $5,000-$15,000. Hypebeast now reports that after soaring to $70,000, the current bid sits at an astounding $90,000 and rising as of Feb. 1.
Building on a legacy that began with the inaugural 1982 silhouette, Abloh designed 47 pairs of 40th anniversary Nike AF1s before he succumbed to cancer at age 41 on November 28, 2021.
This version, which was unveiled at the Louis Vuitton Spring Summer 2022 runway show, is constructed entirely of leather and features the fashion house’s monogram and Damier patterns, as well the Abloh’s signature quotation marks.
Each pair will be sold with a Louis Vuitton pilot case, which was reinterpreted from the Maison’s archive in an iconic orange colorway and made of Monogram Taurillon Leather, according to Sotheby’s.
All proceeds from their sale will benefit The Virgil Abloh “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund, which in partnership with the Fashion Scholarship Fund, supports the education of academically promising students of Black, African American, or African descent.
Click here to learn more or place your own bid before the auction ends on February 8.
