Virgil Abloh's Limited Edition Louis Vuitton x Nike Collection Fetches P1.28 Billion at Auction
A billion-peso sneaker collection? We never thought we’d see the day, but trust Virgil Abloh to push boundaries even after his passing.
Sotheby’s collection of 200 pairs of Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1 by Virgil Abloh has fetched over $25.3 million (about P1.28 billion). This is eight times higher than the $3 million target set by the auction house.
From the 200 limited edition pairs sold, the highest hammer price came down at $352,800 (P18 million) for a pair of US size 5, going far beyond the original high estimate of only $15,000.
Sotheby’s received over 10,000 bids, with 40 percent coming from Asia and 66 percent under the age of 40.
The heated bidding process for the limited edition sneakers can be attributed solely to the legacy and impact of the late Virgin Abloh, Louis Vuitton’s artistic director, who passed away at only 41 years old in November 2021 due to a rare and aggressive form of cancer.
The founder of Off-White, Abloh was a visionary who almost single-handedly championed the streetwear x high fashion culture. In honor of his impact on art, fashion, and culture, Sotheby’s will be donating the proceeds of the auction to the Virgil Abloh “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund, which supports the education of talented black designers.
