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Virgil Abloh’s rarest Louis Vuitton sneakers could be yours in Paris
It's all going down at LV’s exclusive pop-up experience.
In true designer fashion, Louis Vuitton is welcoming the new year with exclusive consumer experiences. The luxury label, in anticipation of its Paris Fashion Week Fall 2021 show on January 21, is launching a slew of menswear events with the opening of a temporary store. Titled “Louis Vuitton: Walk in the Park,” the pop-up will feature new and reissued sneakers, jewelry, and sunglasses.
Although temporary installations aren’t uncommon with designer brands, we’ve certainly seen an increase since the pandemic began. As major press events and shows continue virtually, pop-up stores have allowed labels to interact with their consumers, and more importantly, keep things exclusive. LV partook in the phenomenon last year, with creative director Virgil Abloh’s Zoooom with Friends experience, while Fendi debuted a glow-in-the-dark bag with a temporary art installation. Gucci even jumped on board by unveiling a new Gucci Pins pop-up experience, centered around its collaboration with both The North Face and Pokémon Go. No matter the brand, luxury labels are all about customer experience.
Rare AF — Louis Vuitton’s latest pop-up includes both physical and digital experiences centered around the designs of Virgil Abloh. From January 8 to January 15, visitors will be allowed to peruse and purchase sneakers from the brand’s “Hall of Fame,” made up of the five rarest LV trainers that have launched since Abloh’s first collection for the label.
Five new colorways of the SS 2021 Louis Vuitton Trainer, including an exclusive Paris colorway, will also be available for purchase. Each of the new editions is crafted entirely from upcycled LV Trainer material, making it the most luxurious used shoe ever. For a more flashy look, visitors can check out Louis Vuitton’s SS 2021 Ollie sneaker, on display in six colorways.
In addition to Abloh’s sneakers, the pop-up invites consumers to view jewelry and sunglasses from the seasonal collection. Chainlink necklaces, bracelets, and rings in an exclusive Paris design will be up for sale alongside a restock of items from previous collections. Past editions of the 1.1 Millionaire sunglasses — Abloh’s reinterpretation of the Pharrell Williams and Nigo-designed frame — can also be bought at the temporary location.
Virtual Vuitton — On January 18, another event kicks off at Louis Vuitton’s flagship on Place Vendôme. Since Abloh’s augmented reality Zoooom with Friends experience last camped out in Miami, the brand is giving Parisian fans a similar encounter. Through the Louis Vuitton app, visitors can interact with Abloh’s animated characters and see their facades “take over” the store. It’s definitely a Zoooom hangout you won’t want to miss.
LV’s "Walk in the Park" experience will then conclude with the presentation of the label’s FW 2021 men’s collection. It’s not clear how the actual show will go down due to the pandemic, but we’re hoping Abloh’s Zoooom characters are featured again.