From 19 June, the “Louis Vuitton and Nike Air Force 1 by Virgil Abloh: Exhibition” will be open to the public at Singapore’s ION Orchard. The fully digital showcase chronicles the creative conversation between the French Maison and Nike as envisioned by the late fashion maven Virgil Abloh, for the luxury brand’s Spring/Summer 2022 menswear collection.
The exhibition’s last stop was in New York, an important city and hub in the West. In the same vein, the decision to hold the display in Singapore is perhaps a nod to the country’s traditional role as a regional node for connection to the region and even the world. Furthermore, Singapore is one of the earliest countries in Asia to relax Covid-19-related restrictions making it the prefered destination for brands to set up shows and for travellers to visit.
Similar to the inaugural presentation in New York, where an in-depth introduction of the 47 sneakers the designer created will be showcased, the exhibition in Singapore will take a digital twist. Screen panels within the mirrored space unveil the creative conceptualisation of the collaboration while Abloh’s signature cloud-like motifs decorate the walls and floor.
A prolific designer who managed to marry streetwear and luxury, Abloh’s ingenuity is highlighted through a central digital showcase where the savoir-faire predominant in his works for the Maison takes centre stage. Each pair of the sneakers fused the original design codes of Air Force 1 and was made with the Maison’s finest leather, materials and insignia of Louis Vuitton coupled with Abloh’s unique visual grammar. The location in which these now-iconic sneakers are made is Louis Vuitton’s shoe atelier in Fiesso d’Artico, Italy.
Another of Abloh’s visions is building bridges between countries and cultures through the language of fashion. Louis Vuitton is the central connecting point, just as New York and Singapore are both melting pots of cultures. To illustrate this grand vision, a graphic globe structure, similar to the sculptures displayed in New York, is displayed next to the exhibition. “The globe is representative of the unifying motifs Virgil Abloh reiterated in his collections, shows and imagery,” said the brand in the accompanying press release.
Of the 47 new sneakers presented in the Spring/Summer 2022 collection, nine editions of Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1 sneakers will be launched through a digital activation and its details will be shared at a later date. Those interested can expect a mix of low and mid tops in various colours and styles from all-white to rainbow and metallic gold. There is also the patchwork multi-colour renditions, which pay homage to Abloh’s distinctive graphic language.
The Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1 sneakers will retail in-store from S$3,900 to S$4,900 and are available in sizes ranging from US 3.5 to 18.
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