Virgil Abloh was the first black American to be named creative director of a top French fashion house.
New York, United States of America:
Sotheby’s announced Wednesday that 200 pairs of Louis Vuitton and Nike “Air Force 1” sneakers created by the late American designer Virgil Abloh were auctioned for a total of $25 million.
A spokesman for the auction house told AFP that the highest payout for a couple was more than $350,000 during the online sale that ran from January 26 to February 8.
The amount is much higher than initial estimates from Sotheby’s, which started bidding at $2,000 and predicted they would sell for between $5,000 and $15,000 per pair.
Finally, sneakers, which ranged in size from five to 18, averaged more than $100,000 per shoe. The cheapest one sold for just over $75,000.
The special edition sneaker, made from calf leather, was originally made for Louis Vuitton’s spring-summer men’s collection for 2022, with Abloh as artistic director.
Abloh, a multi-talented DJ, architect and designer, died in November at the age of 41 after a personal battle with cancer.
A close associate of Kanye West, Abloh was the first black American to be named creative director of a top French fashion house and brought a less elitist approach to the worlds of streetwear and luxury.
The brown, white and cream-colored sneakers boast Nike’s famous Swoosh logo and Louis Vuitton’s recognizable monogram and Demier motif.
They were created to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Nike Air Force 1, which was designed in 1982.
‘broke a record’
The auction, held exclusively online, began six days after the presentation of Abloh’s final Vuitton collection in Paris to an emotional audience that included Rihanna, Kanye West and Pharrell Williams.
“Since our auction began, the energy has been electric,” said Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s head of streetwear and modern collectibles, adding that the event “broke the record for the most bids on the opening day of any online sale.”
The market for rare sports shoes is on the rise, with sneakers turning into major collector’s items recently snatched up for tens of thousands of dollars.
Looking for a facelift and new customers, big names in luxury such as Dior and LVMH have partnered with sports and streetwear brands to create athletic footwear.
According to Sotheby’s, more than 1,200 potential buyers from more than 50 countries participated in the auction. More than half of those who successfully purchased a pair of shoes were under the age of 40, and collectors in Asia represented 40 percent of the final buyers.
However, in the history of sneaker sales, the most expensive pairs have been worn by sports and hip-hop legends.
Last April, a pair of Nike Air Yeezy 1s worn by Kanye West sold for $1.8 million at Sotheby’s. In October, a pair of sneakers worn by NBA superstar Michael Jordan early in his career sold for about $1.5 million.
Proceeds from the auction of Abloh shoes will benefit a scholarship fund established by him that supports aspiring designers of black, African American or African descent.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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