Virgil Abloh, Men's Artistic Director at Louis Vuitton, attends the 3rd edition of the Vogue Fashion Festival in Paris. File/Reuters

Gulf Today Report

Bids for 200 pairs of Nike/Louis Vuitton "Air Force 1" sneakers designed by Virgil Abloh are running well beyond Sotheby's initial estimates in an auction with a week to go.

The sale, which the Louis Vuitton creative designer helped to plan before his death will benefit The Virgil Abloh "Post-Modern" Scholarship Fund for Black, African-American and students of African descent in the fashion industry.

"We're currently at around $6.1 million in hammer price," said Sotheby's head of streetwear and modern collectibles, Brahm Wachter, on Tuesday, when bids ran as high as $60,000.

READ MORE

Emergeast's Dreaming Tomorrow group exhibition signals hope and renewal

Sculptor Nermine Kashef finds dreams and not screams in skulls

Rihanna reveals she is pregnant and expecting first child with A$AP Rocky

The original total estimate was $1 million to $3 million for the Jan. 26 to Feb. 8 auction.

The leather sneaker features Abloh's signature quotation marks and Louis Vuitton's emblematic patterns. Each comes with a limited-edition orange pilot case.

"On a size 5, there's just one pair and a size 18, again, there's just one pair. When you get to a size 10 or a size 8, there are more," Wachter said.

The sneakers were the first official collaboration between Nike and Louis Vuitton.

"It's really bringing together two of the great Goliaths of industry. And of course, the genius of Virgil Abloh, who so many people love and respect and miss," Wachter said.

"Bringing all three of these worlds together is really an incredible thing, which I think is driving global interest."