Virgil Abloh’s final Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2022 collection includes the Louis Vuitton x Off-White Air Force 1 in different colorways. 

LOUIS VUITTON AND NIKE « AIR FORCE 1 » BY VIRGIL ABLOH © Louis Vuitton – All rights reserved

Update: July 15, 9.40am (Singapore time)
According to Louis Vuitton Singapore, the Louis Vuitton and Nike “Air Force 1” by Virgil Abloh collection will be launched online on July 19, 4pm (SG time). A newsletter will be sent out on July 18 to those who have registered their interest as well as newsletter subscribers.

Update: May 19, 5:10 pm (Singapore time)
Nine colorways of the Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1 will see an in-store release as part of the Maison’s Spring Summer 2022 collection. The mid tops will retail for S$4,900 while the lows will go for S$3,900. Both will come in Nike sizes ranging from US3.5 to 18. It will launch through a digital activation that gives LV’s community early access to order the kicks. To commemorate the launch, Louis Vuitton is holding an exhibition in New York City from May 20 to 31 that showcases all 47 editions of the Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1 designed by Virgil Abloh.

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Update: January 27, 10:30 am (Singapore time)
The first drop of the Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1 has been announced. 200 pairs of the classic LV monogram leather rendition will be released through an auction with Sotheby’s happening from January 26 to February 8. Bidding for each pair starts at US$2,0000. All proceeds will go towards the late Virgil Abloh’s ‘Post Modern’ scholarship fund. Rumors point towards a wider release through their global boutiques, but we expect the release to be incredibly restricted, similar to that of the Dior x Air Jordan 1. 

Update: May 6, 2:41 pm (Singapore time) 
Sneaker insider Instagram page, @ovrnundr.io confirms that the Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1 are hitting store shelves very soon with a retail price of US$2,000 (approx. S$2,773). However, the sale of the sneakers will not be open to the public. Instead, Louis Vuitton representatives will reach out to their clientele to coordinate a direct purchase. According to the insider page, customers have started to receive calls from their representatives.

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Virgil Abloh’s last Louis Vuitton show held in Miami last week, a few days after his passing, was a sombre affair. But the creations were electrifying and a testament to Virgil’s brilliance, and showed just why his legacy continues to outlive him. A highlight of the Spring/Summer 2022 runway was undoubtedly the showcase of the Louis Vuitton x Off-White Air Force 1 in multiple colorways.

The showcase confirmed what has been known since June this year, when early images of the LV x Off-White x Nike AF1 were posted on Instagram. The images revealed a luxurious take on the classic sneaker featuring the LV monogram embossed all across uppers in bold colorways. The most interesting difference between the leaked images and what was shown on the runway was the detachable ankle collar, which allows the sneaker to morph from a low top to a mid top with ease.

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Superhero-inspired? Two of the brighter colorways seem to have been inspired by superheroes the Hulk and Cyclops. @sneakerdenn, who noticed the similarities had the good fortune of quizzing Virgil before his passing on this, to which the designer had responded with a laugh, neither confirming nor denying @sneakerdenn’s claims. Even though the designer remained coy about the source of inspiration, the similarities to the aforementioned superheroes are uncanny.

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The Spring/Summer 2022 collection is rumored to drop early next year. While this collection will be the first LV x Off-White x Nike collaboration, we’re not sure if it’ll be the last. What we’re sure of, though, is that it will not sit on shelves for long.