Virgil Abloh honored with an exhibition in New York featuring 47 sneakers he designed

Late fashion designer Virgil Abloh is honored in an exhibit in New York featuring 47 pairs of Louis Vuitton Nike Air Force 1 sneakers he created before his death in November. Nine shoes displayed in the immersive show will be available for purchase in June. Abloh was the artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear collection from 2018 until his death from cancer at age 41.

A replica of the turntable setup Abloh used as a DJ is featured, along with what organizers call “a magical treehouse symbolizing Virgil’s own childhood dreams.” Quotes from Abloh, who was also a visual artist, fill the room, with a floor of lights that create atmospheric patterns.

“He was one of a kind,” Elle.com associate editor Claire Stern said. “Not just in his creative skills, but in the way he broke down barriers in fashion. Racially, socio-economically, he let people in.” (Also read: Virgil Abloh’s Nike x Louis Vuitton sneakers sold for $25.3 million in total)

Globe installations around New York promote the free exhibit, which takes place May 21-31 at the Greenpoint Terminal Warehouse in Brooklyn.

“Virgil’s impact on our culture and the fashion world in particular has been tremendous,” Stern said. “I think this will be one of the first of many exhibits that will pay homage to him and his legacy, and his impact will be felt for generations to come.”

In July 2021, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton gave Abloh the mandate to launch new brands and partner with existing ones in sectors other than fashion.

This story was published from a news feed with no text edits. Only the title has been changed.