ONE FOR THE BOOKS: Sotheby’s has racked up record-breaking sales for 200 pairs of the Louis Vuitton and Nike “Air Force 1” by Virgil Abloh.
The auction house has reeled in $25.3 million, which it claims is the highest-known public record for the most valuable sneaker and fashion auctions. That final tally was eight times the pre-event high estimate of $3 million. The windfall though was a charity sale and it marked the most valuable one for Sotheby’s in nearly a decade.
Proceeds will benefit the Virgil Abloh “Post-Modern” scholarship fund. Abloh died in November at the age of 41. As the founder of the Off-White label and creative director of Louis Vuitton menswear, he helped to break racial boundaries in the fashion industry and cultivated a devoted following for his streetwear-inspired designs. An avid and agile collaborator, the designer created a myriad of co-branded projects behind fashion that included Ikea home goods and an off-road coupe concept through Mercedes-Benz’s Project Maybach. Other examples of Abloh’s highly detailed artistic inclinations, collaborations and drawings can be found on his personal site canary—yellow.com.
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Sotheby’s sale was fueled by a robust base of international bidders with 10,000-plus from overseas. In addition, 40 percent of the Air Force 1 buyers were from Asia, according to Sotheby’s.
Abloh’s namesake scholarship fund was created through a partnership with the Fashion Scholarship Fund to further the education of academically promising students of Black, African American or African descent. The designer’s career wasn’t the only source of inspiration for future generations. He has a reputation for taking the time to encourage young talent, and to motivate them through special appearances and DMing.
The standout item in Sotheby’s recent auction was a pair of size five Air 1s in the first lot that sold for $352,800 — more than 23 times the high-end estimate of $15,000. And apparently a pair of size 11s in lot 181 attracted the most bidders — registering 68 total bids. All of the lots exceeded their high estimates, according to Sotheby’s.
Next year New York visitors and residents will have the chance to learn more about Abloh’s design ethos and life. The Brooklyn Museum will host “Virgil Abloh: Figures of Speech” starting in July.