Following a year crammed full of collaborations, we really thought we’d seen the best of designer label blending. Yet defying all expectations, Louis Vuitton has collaborated with Sotheby’s to auction The Louis Vuitton and Nike “Air Force 1” by Virgil Abloh. At the request of the late Off-White founder and artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear Virgil Abloh, who passed last November, all proceeds from the auction will benefit The Virgil Abloh “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund. The charity, established in 2020, supports the education of academically promising students of Black, African American or African descent. The trainers, which will come complete with a Louis Vuitton custom pilot case, is a huge testament to Virgil’s unmatched eye for detail, and the French fashion house’s flawless execution.

While Air Force 1’s are perhaps one of the most coveted model of our generation, their reimagining elevates the design to new heights. The trainers are both timeless and trendy, featuring the iconic Louis Vuitton emblematic monogram, accented with grey and white Damier patterns on the vamp and classic Nike swoosh. Crafted entirely in precious calf leather, the Air Force commands a more sophisticated look — with its neutral colour palette ensuring the pair can be worn with any outfit. Both the trainers and the Louis Vuitton pilot case were hacked from their , with the case reinterpreted from the Maison’s archive, now flaunting an unmistakable orange colour way. Constructed with Monogram Taurillon leather, the case is completed with a Nike swoosh luggage tag and Louis Vuitton’s classic S lock closure in a white metal finish, promising to make a statement all of its own.

With only 200 pairs manufactured, the capsule will be open for bidding from the 26th of January to the 8th of February. Available in sizes 5-18, the starting bid will be $2,000. The charity event is a link in a string of related Louis Vuitton affairs going on throughout January, and the auction will take place in association with Virgil’s family.

For more information and to enter the auction, click here…