NIKE, NIKE AIR FORCE 1, SIZE 8.5

Rubber, Leather, Cotton, Synthetic

2017

NIKE, NIKE AIR FORCE 1, SIZE 8.5

Rubber, Leather, Cotton, Synthetic

2019

NIKE, NIKE AIR FORCE 1, SIZE 8.5

Rubber, Leather, Cotton, Synthetic

2021

Offered in this lot is the complete set of Virgil Abloh’s museum-exclusive Off-White™ x Nike Air Force 1 collaborations: the “MoMA,” “MCA,” and “ICA.”

The trilogy began in New York with the 2018 “MoMA,” a black leather pair defined by its chrome Swoosh, exposed foam, and signature zip tie. In 2019, Abloh commemorated his Figures of Speech exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago with the University Blue “MCA,” released in highly limited quantities after the first pair was gifted to Serena Williams. The series concluded in 2021 at Boston’s Institute of Contemporary Art with the striking University Gold “ICA,” echoing the deconstructed details and “AIR” branding of its predecessors.

The Air Force 1, arguably Nike’s most iconic sneaker, is in many regards, the first of its kind. Previously realized in running shoes, the introduction of Nike’s ‘Air’ technology in the midsole was a revolutionary concept for basketball sneakers. Tasked with bringing the concept to life, designer Bruce Kilgore and an aerospace engineer brought the project to fruition with a hiking boot-inspired, ankle-strapped, high top. Kilgore’s first basketball sneaker, the Air Force 1 was brought to market in 1982.

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