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Ahead of the 2018 Met Gala, Virgil Abloh took full advantage of his convenient access to unreleased Nike footwear. More precisely, the designer chose to officially unveil the upcoming OFF-WHITE x Air Jordan 1 UNC.
Just like Virgil’s very first design on the silhouette, this one again draws inspiration from a classic Air Jordan 1 colorway. To clarify: “UNC” is short for “University of North Carolina”, which is Michael Jordan’s alma mater. The North Carolina Tar Heels basketball team’s uniforms famously feature Carolina Blue and White.
But of course Virgil again puts his own spin on the upcoming OFF-WHITE collab. Just like on 2017’s “Chicago” colorway, the collar overlay sports a subtle grey tone.
Orange accents then come in form of the exposed stitchings on the Swoosh, while a “OFF-WHITE for NIKE” print graces the inner sidewalls. And needless to say, the signature “AIR” and “SHOELACES” letterings also top off this design.
To still stand out at this year’s Met Gala, Virgil applied the words “FOR RED CARPET ONLY” and “ABLOH” to the midsoles of his personal pair.
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Closing off the Off-White x Nike imprint for quite some time after its release, the forthcoming set of Air Max 90s — both this black rendition and Desert Ore accompaniment — are set to end things on a high note. While the future of the impactful set is unclear at this point, it’s great to note that the designs never slowed down in terms of wow factor: this being no exception. The deconstructed aesthetic Virgil has made his signature finds its way onto the overstated icon, featuring the classic stitched swoosh, exposed foam, and misplaced branding tags. A baby blue zip tie completes the kit in traditional fashion much like the crazed releases prior.
Bearbrick x Hebru Brantley Flyboy Shark 400% Bearbrick Black, 2018