Virgil Abloh and Nike will be recapping their invasive collaboratory history with the ICONS book which takes a deep dive into their 50-plus sneaker collection the two have gathered over the past couple of years.
Officially published by TASCHEN, the book highlights the extensive partnership between Virgil Abloh and Nike. Originally beginning in 2017, Off-White was just on the cusp of being seen throughout a global perspective and now just three years later, the brand and Virgil’s presence can be felt all throughout the fashion industry. This book allows readers to see where the two began with the initial “The Ten” featuring 10 different sneakers to now an inavasive catalog of 50 plus silhouettes and colorways we’ve enjoyed throughout the years.
Within ICONS, readers will find Swooshes sliced away from Air Jordans and reapplied with tape or thread, Abloh’s quotation marks trialed on Nike Air Force 1s and Converse All Stars cut into pieces. The effect is a behind-the-scenes witness to The Ten’s DIY approach, which gives each model in the Off-White™ c/o Nike collection its own unique touch. “The foundation of my practice isn’t nearly the end result — it’s rigor and process of the logic. The archive is the paper trail of those artifacts,” says Abloh. “The ICONS book is, in a way, the only revealing lens to understand that the catalog of the 50-plus Nike shoes I have designed are in my mind ‘one shoe.’ One story.”
The book builds upon Abloh’s printed matter practice — archiving, documenting, and storytelling through books and ephemera in service of preserving important cultural stories. As an extension of this practice, ICONS will enjoy an initial early release period through select Black-owned bookshops and independent retailers, demonstrating a shared belief in the vitality of print and the importance of local bookstores as hubs of community, culture, and civic memory.
Early access will then be followed by a larger release on Nike SNKRS on January 22nd, followed by a larger scare release on Off-White, Canary Yellow, TASCHEN, and global retailers. Enjoy an early glimpse inside the book below and make sure to stay tuned for any updates when we get them.
