LeBron James pays tribute to Virgil Abloh by giving fans a closer look at Abloh’s Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1 shoes
Virgil Abloh-designed Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1 sneakers are the most talked about shoes by sneakerheads. LeBron James is one of the select few that have gained early access to a pair. The sneakers were first revealed in Virgil's 2022 Summer-Spring men's collection in June 2021.
LBJ and Virgil had built a relationship before his passing, one that saw the prolific designer bearing gifts to the former. One of which was a signed pair of mustard yellow Off-White x Nike Air Force 1 for his NBA All-Star tunnel appearance. In 2018, James got a signed pair of Jordan 1 Off-White Chicago From Virgil as a birthday gift.
King James took to his Instagram story to share a clip of his black Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1 pair in honor of the late designer. He paid tribute to his friends and entrepreneurs as his story read, "Virgil was here."
.@KingJames pulled up in the black Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1s 👑 https://t.co/86O9SK5qYp
LeBron James owns a pair of the unreleased Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1 shoes designed by Virgil Abloh
Before his passing on Nov. 28, 2021, Virgil Abloh was working closely with Sotheby's for the auction of the Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1 shoes. The shoe and pilot case has been on view for free at Sotheby's New York art gallery for a public exhibition. The viewing, which started on Jan. 19 will span through to Feb. 8, with the auction commencing on Jan. 26.
200 pairs of the exclusively designed sneakers by Virgil will be auctioned at Sotheby's later this month, with the proceeds going to the The Virgil Abloh "Post-Modern" Scholarship Fund. The fund, in partnership with the Fashion Scholarship Fund, will sponsor the education of promising students of Black, African American, or African descent.
The Fund raised $1 million from donations made possible by Nike, Louis Vuitton, FarFetch, Evian, New Guards Group and Virgil himself. The Post-Modern Scholarship Fund also guarantees continued support for its recipients in the form of career prospects and mentorship.
Aside from LA Lakers small forward LeBron James, another celebrity who owns the unreleased sneakers is DJ Khaled, the proud owner of a red Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1. The world renowned DJ shared his rare sneakers on his Instagram page a few days ago, ahead of the auction.