Virgil Abloh Channels Canal St for Legit ‘Bootleg’ Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1s

Virgil Abloh has finally bridged the gap previously separating the high-end and mass-market with an apparent Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1 collaboration. Revealed during the LV SS ’22 ‘Amen Break’ runway show, a current total of 21 different variants have been counted.

Naturally, a collaboration of this calibre warrants distinct details that the garden variety AF-1 typically doesn’t. For one, a mixture of LV’s signature monogram and Damier patterns were stamped, chopped and changed across low- and mid-cut Uptowns. Finishes ranging from plain leather uppers to iridescent panels are all bound by common elements, namely a fat-bellied Swoosh with zig zag stitching and the familiar “AIR” text stamped on the midsole.

Sneaker and fashion historians will no doubt draw parallels to the pioneering work of the hip hop tailor of Harlem, Dapper Dan, whose luxury customisations in the 1980s and 90s were likely a direct influence on Abloh’s latest Airs.

It’s currently not known whether this was a custom commission by Abloh, a bespoke in-house collaboration, or if these creations will even trickle down from society’s upper crust to see a ‘retail’ release.

Is this 2021’s Air Dior? The eternal tug of war between glamorous versus gaudy will always rage on the runway, but it’s the proletariat on the street that will determine who ultimately wins the war.

Watch the presentation below and see how many AF-1s you can count.