The Virgil Abloh Archive presents the Air Jordan 1 High OG X VAA

THE Virgil Abloh Archive and Jordan brand announced his release Air Jordan 1 High OG X VAAa special edition of the classic silhouette created from an original design by Virgil Abloh. The project marks the first global product to come from the Virgil Abloh Archive, a collection containing more than 20,000 objects associated with Abloh’s creative practice. The release also continues the design collaboration between Win and Virgil Abloh which started in 2017.

SNEAKERS

The Virgil Abloh Archive preserves objects, concepts and works that reflect Abloh’s creative output in fashion, design and culture. Shannon Abloh founded the Archive and leads its development. He described the foundation’s mission as an effort to maintain the visibility of Virgil Abloh’s ideas while sharing them with new audiences. The Air Jordan 1 has played a key role in Abloh’s creative life. As a teenager near Chicago, he viewed Michael Jordan as a figure out of touch with life and saw the shoes he wore on the court as symbols of transformation.

Abloh has often spoken about the Air Jordan 1’s impact on his initial interest in design. The silhouette encouraged him to consider how objects reveal their construction. His design approach often exposed structural elements that traditional footwear design often hid. When Nike invited Abloh to reinterpret the Air Jordan 1 for the 2017 project known as The Tenhe approached the shoe curious about its internal structure. During an early meeting at Nike, he questioned the location of the air unit in the sole and cut open the midsole with an X-Acto knife to examine it. This act reflected his method of research and experimentation.

Revealing hidden construction elements became a recurring feature of Abloh’s design language. The Air Jordan 1 High OG X VAA incorporates details associated with the previous reinterpretation of the model. The sneaker features an exposed tongue, an orange tab attached to the Swoosh, and black “AIR” lettering printed directly above the midsole air unit. These elements refer to Abloh’s approach to footwear design and his interest in visible construction.

The Virgil Abloh Archive also introduced a free public membership program earlier this month. The initiative invites the public to engage with the Archive and its programming. Members can apply to join the Toolkit program designed for students, emerging creatives and independent learners. Applicants submit a brief overview of their work and a recent project. The first hundred Toolkit participants will receive a pair of Air Jordan 1 High OG X VAA

The edition is linked to a wider series of cultural programs entitled VAA World’s Fair. The Archive organizes these events in cities that have played an important role in Abloh’s life and career, including Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, London, Paris, Hong Kong and Tokyo. The program continues an initiative launched in Paris last September.

The first activation takes place at Architecture in Los Angeles on March 14th and March 15th. The program includes artist talks, screenings and workshops examining Abloh’s work in design, graphics and publishing. Visitors will also see selections from Abloh’s publications, including rare and unpublished magazines. Evidence from Virgil Abloh: Codes exhibition, like the Media Lab and Theater, will appear as part of the installation.

The Air Jordan 1 High OG X VAA will be available through a digital raffle system powered by EQL during the LA activation. Entrants must enter online and winners will be notified by email with the collection details. The sneaker will retail for $230 and will remain available through VAA events and the Canary Yellow online store throughout March. A global release will follow on April 3, 2026 via Nike.com and select retailers.