There are strong auctions, but then there are STRONG auctions. The latter has to be used to describe a current Louis Vuitton and Nike “Air Force 1” by Virgil Abloh. Sotheby’s has extended bidding by a day to February 9, 2022. Extended auctions can sometimes signal some concern or weakness, but in this auction’s case it appears as though every single estimate has been exceeded and then some.

Sneakers have become a newer segment within collectibles. Does this auction imply that the sneakerhead rage is on, or do we just chalk it up to the great names behind the effort? Louis Vuitton and Nike teamed up to produce a limited edition run of shoes and knew what they were doing. Nike “Air Force 1” has a loyal following that showed up to the Sotheby’s New York Auction.

Every shoe size of the limited edition “Air Force One” listed had a median current lot price of $50,000.00 or more above any estimates provided ahead of time.

Collectors Dashboard evaluates high-end collectibles as an alternative asset class. Whether or not this collectible shoe will be an investment may depend upon whether each buyer has to wear the shoes or can resist that urge. Either way, the estimated price target $5,000 to $15,000 per pair was a lot more than any normal shoes. Following this auction that perspective will change based on the exponential excesses we are seeing so far.

The results were expected to be ending on February 8. This simply has to be astonishing for a limited edition shoe that was first introduced in 1982. Here are some of the extraordinary lots which are separated by shoe sizes and currently stand:

Size 5 with Nike x Louis Vuitton “Air Force 1” & Pilot Case had an estimate of $5,000.00 TO $15,000.00 and has a current bid of $220,000.00 after 51 bids.

Size 8 with Nike x Louis Vuitton “Air Force 1” & Pilot Case had an estimate of $5,000.00 TO $15,000.00 and has a current bid of $110,000.00 after 59 bids.

Size 9.5 with Nike x Louis Vuitton “Air Force 1” & Pilot Case had an estimate of $5,000.00 TO $15,000.00 and has a current bid of $110,000.00 after 47 bids.

Size 10 with Nike x Louis Vuitton “Air Force 1” & Pilot Case had an estimate of $5,000.00 TO $15,000.00 and has a current bid of $110,000.00 after 49 bids.

A total of 200 pairs of Nike “Air Force 1” will be sold with a Louis Vuitton pilot case in orange Taurillon Monogram Leather (the case is exclusive to this auction). The pilot case features Louis Vuitton’s classic S lock closure in white metal finishing and includes a luggage tag in the shape of the Nike Swoosh, the case also adapts to every shoe size based on an internal cushion system.

According to Sotheby’s the sneakers were made with materials employed in Abloh’s Louis Vuitton men’s collections, and styled with his signature quotation marks, echoing the written graphics Abloh often used in his work. The individual styles designed for the show were made by Louis Vuitton in its shoe manufacture in Fiesso d’Artico, Italy.

The most successful shoe ever created is still having its day in the sun for collectors to bid on. Collectors from music or pop culture based interests will be sure to follow along with this auction. One certainty is that this will be a pinnacle moment for the Nike Air Force 1 brand.