200 sneakers from designer Virgil Abloh auctioned for 22 million euros

For some they are just sneakers, for others an expensive collector's object.At the Sotheby's auction house, 200 sneakers of the designer Virgil Abloh now came under the hammer.

For a total of $ 25 million-around 22 million euros-200 pairs of sneakers have been auctioned, which the recently deceased star designer Virgil Abloh designed.The most expensive couple in the "Air Force 1" special edition of the Louis Vuitton luxury label and the sporting goods giant Nike was sold for more than $ 350,000, as the Sotheby's auction house announced on Wednesday.

The brown-beige-white shoes that the famous Louis Vuitton pattern and the equally famous Nike logo were presented in June 2021 as part of the Louis-Vuitton collection spring/summer 2022.The Abroh, who died at the end of November at the age of 41, was responsible for men's fashion at Louis Vuitton.

Expressed expectations of Sotheby's

The 200 identical couple sneakers had been offered at the auction running since January 26 at a starting price of $ 2,000.They were auctioned together with an order -colored pilot case.Sotheby's expectations were far exceeded at the auction.

The auction house had calculated with a price between $ 5,000 and $ 15,000 per couple.On average, however, more than $ 100,000 were achieved.The cheapest couple was auctioned for around $ 75,000.The auction proceeds will go to a foundation founded by Abloh that supports African -American or African students in areas such as fashion and marketing.

The long -time creative consultant of rapper Kanye West, who died on November 28, was known far beyond the fashion world like no other designer and a star, especially among young people.The trained architect had become known worldwide with its luxury streetwear brand off-White.His move to the French luxury label Louis Vuitton 2018 also made headlines because he was the first African American in this position.

Kanye West discovered the talent

Abloh's parents had immigrated from Ghana to the USA.He grew up in Chicago and studied architecture at the Illinois Institute of Technology.His career took a surprising turn when Kanye West became aware of his design ideas and did him as a creative consultant in 2007.Together, West and Abloh did an internship at Fendi in Rome to learn the fashion business.

In 2012 Abloh founded his first label, Pyrex Vision.A year later he became a star worldwide with his off-White label.His sweatshirts and jackets with the striking logo of two crossed arrows were particularly popular with young people."I do everything I do for my 17-year-old me," said Abloh often.In addition to his work for Louis Vuitton, Abloh also caused a sensation through his collaboration with brands such as Nike, Jimmy Choo and Moncler.