Virgil Abloh needs no introduction. The late designer rewrote the rule book in any field he touched, whether bursting onto the scene as Kanye West’s creative director, spearheading his own label Off-White, ascending as menswear artistic director for Louis Vuitton, designing everything from champagne bottles to turntables, and moonlighting as a lauded DJ. One of the creative polymath’s final projects—a range of his designs for Nike’s iconic Air Force 1 sneaker for Louis Vuitton—recently went on view in a warehouse in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, and puts his formidable range on full display.
The exhibition, on view until May 31, presents 47 of Abloh’s interpretations of the Air Force 1—which Nike introduced in 1982 and became his go-to sneaker—in a maze-like emporium adorned with the cloud motifs he often used for Louis Vuitton. And his playful, all-encompassing vision soars: some sneakers are embossed in metal foil and upholstered in fluorescent fur while others represent the flag of Ghana, where his parents were born. Nine pairs, originally crafted in Louis Vuitton’s Manufacture in Fiesso d’Artico in Venice for the maison’s spring 2022 menswear show, will be available for purchase starting next month exclusively for VIP clients.
The Louis Vuitton and Nike “Air Force 1” Exhibition by Virgil Abloh will be on view at 73 West Street, Brooklyn, through May 31.
