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Online auctions held by Sotheby's for Virgil Abloh x Nike Air Force 1s have been a huge success. After being bid upon for the shoes for two weeks now the sale is closing. Sotheby's official site has made a statement regarding the same.
Reportedly, these 200 pairs grossed about $25.3 million in total, said Sotheby's. The starting bid for these 200 pairs was $2000 but the ending bid might be a shock to all the readers, it went up for a whopping $352,800. Most of these pairs were sold for $100,000 or more.
All about the sneaker auction held by Sotheby's for Virgil Abloh x Nike Air Force 1
Although the Sotheby's auction site made an estimate for one shoe to be sold for $5000-$15000, it didn't stop the bidders from stepping forward for these shoes with big bucks in their pocket. The highest bid for the Virgil Abloh x Nike Air Force 1 was for a pair of size 5 which went up to $350,000, making it the highest valued pair of Air Force 1s in history.
The estimate tally for $3 million was left far behind by bringing it to a total $25.3 million, eight times the pre-event estimates. The sneakers made it the most valuable auction for Sotheby's for the first time in nearly a decade.
The size 11 of AF1's was the most attractive shoe to bidders, and was the most bid upon shoe, which registered 68 total bids, in lot no. 181. The sale was a huge success both internationally and nationally, with nearly 10,000 bidders from overseas. The Sotheby's report also stated that 40 percent of these shoes were bought by Asian buyers.
Story behind the auction held for Virgil Abloh x Nike Air force 1s
The shoes were designed by the late Virgil Abloh, whom we lost to cancer on November 8, 2022. The shoes were first unveiled back in June 2021 during the 2022 Summer Spring Men's Collection by Louis Vuitton. The late designer himself was involved in planning of the auction prior to his passing and designed 47 pairs of the Nike Air Force 1 in different colorways.
Family members and close friends of the designer were associated with the auction, which took place with the help of Sotheby's. All the benefits of the auction will be given to Virgil Abloh™ Post-Modern Scholarship Fund, making it a final goodbye to the late designer.
The scholarship facilitates inclusion and equality in the fashion industry and has a mission to help students of African-American, African, and Black descent.
All of these sneakers were made in calf leather with Damier patterns and LV monograms on the upper. The auction was held on the Sotheby's website and the biddings were open from 26 January 2022 to 8 February 2022.
