Nike Icons

Beskrivelse

A collaboration between Nike and Virgil Abloh in 2016 gave birth to a sneaker collection celebrating ten of Nike's most iconic designs. This project, called The Ten, reimagined classics like the Air Jordan 1, Air Max 90, Air Force 1, and Air Presto, sparking new energy within sneaker culture.

Exploring the artistic and engineering brilliance behind Nike's legendary sneakers through Virgil Abloh's innovative lens.

Virgil Abloh’s creations dive deep into the craftsmanship and cultural significance of these sneakers. Using techniques like lettering, ironic labeling, collage, and sculptural manipulation, he reinterprets the original designs to create fresh meanings. Influenced by Dadaism, architectural theory, and avant-garde art, Abloh breaks down what makes each shoe iconic and reconstructs it as a hybrid of industrial design, sculpture, and wearable art.

ICONS documents Abloh’s creative journey, showcasing prototypes, original text exchanges with Nike designers, and rare items from Nike’s archives. The book reveals altered details such as Swooshes cut from Air Jordans and reattached with tape or thread, signature text in quotation marks on Air Force 1s, and All Stars transformed by cutting. It offers a behind-the-scenes look at Abloh’s hands-on, DIY style that gave every pair in the Off-White™ c/o Nike collection a distinct personality.

The book’s design, created in partnership with the London-based Zak Group, reflects Abloh’s deconstructive approach through features like Swiss binding with an exposed spine, revealing the book’s production process. ICONS celebrates Abloh’s collaborative spirit and highlights the enduring impact of print media. The volume is divided into two parts: the first showcases sneaker visual culture, while the second serves as a lexicon defining key figures, places, objects, concepts, and materials connected to the project.

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