Nike recently partnered with Virgil Abloh to release a book chronicling the making of its extensive sneaker collaboration with Virgil Abloh, known as "The Ten." Called ICONS, the publication is art directed and designed by Zak Group and published by TASCHEN.
ICONS provides readers with a glimpse at Abloh's creative process as he reimagined some of Nike's most iconic footwear silhouettes. The book, which also touches on the cultural aspects tied to sneakers, includes prototypes, text messages between Virgil and Nike designers, and never-before-seen products from the Nike archives, which influenced the collaboration.
From Swooshes cut off Air Jordans and reapplied with tape or thread, to Abloh’s quotation marks tested on Air Force 1s and Converse All Stars cut into pieces, ICONS offers a behind-the-scenes look at the DIY approach that largely shaped "The Ten."
"The foundation of my practice isn’t nearly the end result — it’s rigor and process of the logic. The archive is the paper trail of those artifacts," said Abloh. "The ICONS book is, in a way, the only revealing lens to understand that the catalog of the 50-plus Nike shoes I have designed are in my mind 'one shoe.' One story."
Launched first at select Black-owned bookshops and independent retailers, ICONS sold out in stores and online after its January release. Luckily, TASCHEN just restocked, so this may be the best chance yet to get your hands on ICONS. Shop the book below.
