There are few relationships in the sneaker world as influential as Off-White™ x Nike. Since 2016, the two have created some of the most hyped sneakers in existence. When it comes to key sneaker releases of the past decade, few come close to Off-White™ and Nike. The original collection dubbed “The Ten” is one of the greatest releases in sneaker history. Now, Abloh has given us a first look at the original sample that started it all off.
Taking to Instagram to reveal how the collaboration started, Abloh referenced his journey with Michael Jordan. “There was a time when getting Michael Jordan’s autograph was a major life goal…” the Lous Vuitton designer wrote. The Chicago native also explained how the process of the deconstructed silhouette came about. “An exacto knife and this off the shelf pair of Jordan 1’s and The Ten came to fruition. This is the exact pair that kicked off an epiphany” Abloh wrote.
Being able to see how the design took place is nothing short of breathtaking. It is also amazing to see Abloh’s design process from the beginning, with the frayed heel and cutaway Swoosh being exposed. Even the small areas like the blue tag on the Swoosh or the “AIR BAG” text on the midsole are amazing to see here. On the second image, you can even see His Airness’ autograph on the heel panel.
With the rumours surrounding the “Canary Yellow” Air Jordan 1 continuing to grow, maybe this sample image is a hint of what’s to come. Check out the images below and let us know what you think of Virgil’s designs.
Image Source: Virgil Abloh