Louis Vuitton and Nike Air Force 1 Arrive in the Big Apple
The Spring/Summer 2022 menswear collection by Virgil Abloh dazzles fans of the iconic sneaker in an unrepeatable display in New York.
Originally designed by Nike in 1982, the Louis Vuitton Air Force 1 marks a historic moment: it marks the first time the shoe has been made outside of a branded factory. The sneaker is an emblem of the street style community, with which art director Virgil Abloh identified. The creative considered the Nike Air Force 1 to be a cultural symbol in its own right.
Created at the maison's factory in Fiesso d'Artico, Venice, Italy, all designs fuse original sneaker codes with the brand's finest leathers and materials and Louis Vuitton insignia, along with Louis Vuitton's distinctive visual grammar. Virgil.
With this fusion, fashion transcends its own limits to become an art object symbolizing the subculture with a bit of magic and innovation.
Now, the entire world will be able to enjoy the designer's vision and the fusion of the codes of the two great brands in an exhibition like no other in New York City.
The Nike Launch Air Force 1, designed by Virgil Abloh, is one of the most anticipated events of the year. In June 2022, nine editions of the sneaker, first introduced as part of the Spring/Summer 2022 menswear collection, will launch globally through an inclusive digital activation, in which members of the maison community were offered early access to order the sports shoes.
The nine editions chosen for the Louis Vuitton store launch cover mid-top and low-top boot styles and will be available in Nike sizes 3.5 to 18. The classic white sneakers are included in full embossing, with the Louis Vuitton monogram and a version of the same design in black suede. Editions in two tones, white with green, red or blue details are a nod to the rainbow motif, the key to Virgil's work within Vuitton. Similarly, a gold metallic model pays tribute to the designer's debut collection for the brand, while multicoloured representations on patches celebrate his particular graphic language. Finally, a Damier edition is adorned with a graffiti 'Louis Vuitton' motif, created by artist Ghusto Leone.
The pieces will be on public display at Virgil Abloh's Louis Vuitton and Nike Air Force 1 show at Green Point Terminal Warehouse in New York City. The event will coincide with a series of art installations located in different parts of the city.
In February of this year, 200 pairs of sneaker designs were sold through an auction to benefit the Virgil Abloh Post-Modern Scholarship Fund, which promotes equity and inclusion within the industry by providing financial support and mentorship to students of African-American or African descent with promising talent, thus recognizing his incomparable legacy and the vision that consecrated him as an eternal reference in the world of design, as well as the constant inspiration that he exercises in the minds of our generation.
