Virgil Abloh - Nike Icons

The sneaker as a (Hyper) object

Nike and Virgil Abloh revive 10 icons in sneaker history

In 2016, sportswear manufacturer Nike and fashion designer Virgil Abloh teamed up to create a sneaker collection that celebrated 10 of the Oregon-based company's most iconic shoes. With their project The Ten - which reprises icons like the Air Jordan 1, Air Max 90, Air Force 1 and Air Presto, among others - they revitalized sneaker culture.

Virgil Abloh's new designs offer deep insights into engineering and bursting with cultural cachet. Drawing on the genius of the original shoe through lettering, ironic labels, collage and sculptural techniques, Abloh plays with language and sculptural elements to construct new meaning. Inspired by the humor of Dadaism, architectural theory and avant-garde events, he analyzes what makes each shoe iconic and deconstructs it into an artistic assemblage, making each shoe a piece of industrial design, a ready-made sculpture and a wearable all in one.