Today, fans finally had the chance to cop Virgil Abloh's highly-anticipated Off-White x Air Jordan 5 collaboration, but no one is more excited to see the shoe release than the designer himself.
There's a special connection that Abloh has with his latest Jordan Brand collab. This weekend's NBA All-Star festivities are taking place in his home city of Chicago, where the brand has tapped Abloh along with other notable Chicago creatives to be part of its extensive 8x8 collection, highlighted by the release of his aforementioned Jordan 5 collab.
Like many that were alive in the '90s, Abloh can still recall his experiences of watching Michael Jordan hoop during his days as a member of the Chicago Bulls while rocking his iconic Air Jordan sneakers. The memories would eventually inspire him to pursue a career in design and the creation of his own brand Off-White, as well as taking the helm as the artistic director of menswear for Louis Vuitton.
In a recent interview with The Undefeated, Abloh broke down the design process of his latest collab, which includes reflecting on his past memories of idolizing Michael Jordan as a kid growing up in the Windy City, collaborating with both Nike and Jordan Brand and more.
Read on to find out more about the Off-White x Air Jordan 5 collab through the lens of Abloh himself.