Off-White x Nike “The Ten” Firmate da Virgil Abloh
Explore three unique sneakers from Nike and Off-White’s The Ten collection, each signed by Virgil Abloh. History, design, rarity, and collector value.
The Collection That Redefined Sneaker Culture
In 2017, the collaboration between Nike and Off-White marked a turning point in the world of streetwear. “The Ten”, designed by Virgil Abloh, deconstructed ten iconic Nike silhouettes, turning them into conceptual art objects. With visible stitching, quotation marks around keywords, colored zip-ties and industrial materials, each model embodied a new aesthetic code. Among the most emblematic designs were the Blazer Mid, the Air Force 1 Low, and the VaporMax—now presented here in ultra-rare signed editions by Abloh himself. These are not just sneakers—they are relics of design history.
Details That Turn Design Into Art
The Blazer Mid stands out for its hand-decorated box: a large drawn Swoosh, a signature in quotes, and the date of the intervention by Virgil Abloh himself. On the sneaker, the permanent marker autograph is paired with a handwritten “AIR”, one of the most iconic symbols of his visual language.
The Air Force 1 Low features Abloh’s signature on both outsoles, accompanied by the year and the name of the original owner. This transforms the pair from collectible to irreplaceable, from design piece to cultural artifact.
The VaporMax is signed on the upper in white marker, dated 2017—the official launch year of The Ten. Even the box tells a story, with the handwritten word “Demi” in quotes and a hand-drawn Swoosh by Abloh, sketched during a personal encounter. The result is an unmatched level of authenticity.
Market Value and Collector Demand
On the secondary market, standard unsigned versions of “The Ten” sneakers already command impressive prices, ranging from €1,500 to over €2,800, depending on size and condition. Signed versions like these, especially with personalized boxes or annotations, are exceptionally rare—fewer than 30 known pairs across all models.
Following Virgil Abloh’s passing in 2021, demand has surged for these ultra-rare items. Recent auctions show that Abloh-signed sneakers can reach over €10,000, positioning them as functional artworks now housed in private collections and museums alike.
Why Collect Them Now
These sneakers are more than just footwear. They are cultural documents, representing the creative vision of one of the most important designers of our time. With signatures, annotations, and hand-drawn elements by Abloh himself, these pieces become the ultimate expression of the crossover between streetwear, contemporary art, and high fashion. Collecting them today means safeguarding a tangible piece of creative legacy—one that will only gain significance as time goes on.
The three “The Ten” models featured here—Blazer Mid, Air Force 1 Low, and VaporMax—go far beyond rare sneakers. They are modern relics signed by Virgil Abloh, each carrying a story, a gesture, a moment in time. At Collecto, we believe modern collecting is about exactly that: owning pieces that tell stories, bridge cultures, and carry the signature of an era. These sneakers are just that—collectible icons with timeless relevance.
