Off-White
The Ten
Virgil Abloh
Why it matters
Abloh's deconstructionist reimagining of ten iconic Nike silhouettes — exposing inner construction, adding quotation marks and zip-tie tags — was the single most culturally impactful sneaker release of the 2010s and the moment streetwear's claim to be equal to high fashion became undeniable. The Air Jordan 1 Chicago from this series is documented by Sotheby's as one of the most significant sneaker auction lots in history. Nike's official archive documents all ten silhouettes; Highsnobiety's comprehensive guide remains the reference text.
Defining looks
- 01Off-White x Nike Air Jordan 1 'Chicago'
- 02Off-White x Nike Air Max 90
- 03Off-White x Nike Air Presto
- 04Off-White x Nike Air Force 1 Low
- 05Off-White x Nike Zoom Fly SP
Provenance & holdings
The Met holds Abloh's Off-White — a pre-fall 2018 ensemble, accession 2018.585a–e. His Nike work is now auction-grade in its own right: the LV × Nike Air Force 1 sold 200 pairs for $25.3M at Sotheby's (Feb 2022), and the Off-White × Nike Dunk one-offs took $565,150 (April 2022).