Always the trendsetter and never falling into routines, Virgil Abloh continues to approach fashion in strange, new ways in order to create unique design objects. Sitting down with Jordan Brand to discuss his new Off-White x Jordan V sneaker, the Chicago designer gave some insight into his relationship with Nike and how he aims to approach future projects with them.
When Virgil began at Nike with “The Ten“, deconstruction was the main tool at his disposal; through distressing and different materials, old silhouettes were given new life. While successful, Abloh states “[Deconstruction is] a three-year-old idea that I’m not interested in anymore”.
His new focus is on recontextualizing what “Nike Air”, as a concept, means entirely.
While abstract, Abloh’s new design language is rooted in the idea of “Air” as a literal concept, rather than mere technology or branding tool. His recent shoeboxes and the new Jordan Vs have holes in them, some of his most recent Off-White creations do too. In his own words, he hopes to explore the idea that “the same air that’s outside is in the product”. Only time will tell how this new design language will shape his future projects at Nike.
The full interview can be found here at air.jordan.com
