In 2017, Nike tapped Off-White visionary and longtime sneakerhead Virgil Abloh to design a limited series of Nike Off-White collab shoes. Known as ‘The Ten,’ the groundbreaking collection was one of Nike’s fastest and most ambitious to date, taking about ten months from ideation to release. Throughout, the Off-White designer was entrusted with total creative freedom, resulting in some of the most sought-after Nike shoes of all time.
Abloh famously championed the “3% rule”: the premise that a mere 3% change to any existing design can transform it into something new and radical. Divided into two design categories—“REVEALING” and “GHOSTING,” Abloh’s Off-White ‘The Ten’ consists of 10 iconic Nike silhouettes, deconstructed and rebuilt according to this principle. Armed with a seam ripper, an X-ACTO knife, and his signature wit, Abloh gave beloved classics—from Jordans to Blazers to Air Prestos—a postmodern makeover. Each shoe masterfully exemplifies the late designer’s ability to convert the familiar into the unexpected.
Dropping in October and November of 2017, the original Off-White ‘The Ten’ collection debuted to rapturous critical and commercial success. The Off-White shoes immediately sold out across all platforms, bolstering their instant Grail status. Today, ‘The Ten’—and the Nike Off-White collabs that followed—serve as a blueprint for understanding not just sneakers, but design at large. Read on to discover our favorite pairs to cop now.
5 Nike x Off-White Shoes Every Collector Needs
Nike Air Jordan 1 Retro High Off-White Chicago Sample
This Air Jordan 1 Retro promo pair was the first Nike Air Jordan released as part of 2017’s Off-White ‘The Ten’ series. Reinterpreting the classic AJ1 High silhouette—and the iconic “Chicago” colorway that started it all—Virgil Abloh presents a creative vision that is both innovative and strikingly familiar. The Air Jordan 1 Retro High “Chicago” is outfitted with Abloh’s signature flourishes, including intentional zip ties, exposed foam, and sans-serif text inside playful quotation marks. As in the other “REVEALING” designs from the Nike Off-White collab, each element in this rare Jordan ‘The Ten’ Promo Sample has been carefully considered, from the visible stitching to the deconstructed floating Swoosh.
Nike Air Jordan 1 Retro High Chrome Hearts Off-White NRG
A special commission from luxury streetwear brand Chrome Hearts, these ultra-exclusive Nike shoes take Abloh’s Off-White design ethos to the next level. Dropped as a follow up to the Off-White ‘The Ten’ Air Jordan 1 Retro High “Chicago,” Abloh’s White Nike Air Jordan gets a striking upgrade in this rendition from the coveted LA brand. Applying Abloh’s 3% philosophy to his own design, Chrome Hearts customizes the Off-White shoes with luxe hardware. The addition of branded dubrés, adjustable lace locks and metallic eyelets transforms the Air Jordan 1 Retros into something entirely new—and even more highly sought after.
Nike Air Presto Off-White ‘The Ten’ Friends and Family
This deconstructed Nike Air Presto is an original edition from 2017’s Off White ‘The Ten’ drop. Abloh turns the classic silhouette inside out in the “REVEALING” design, adding a heel strap, aged caging, and stitched-on tonal Swoosh. Signature Off-White details, including a red zip tie and “AIR” and “SHOELACES” text, adorn ‘The Ten’ Air Presto. This rare Off White Friends and Family pair is especially coveted, and comes with an exclusive Air Presto F&F gift set containing four pairs of laces to customize your look, plus a branded pencil case and notebook.
Nike Air Presto Off-White White
Shortly after the release of ‘The Ten’ Air Presto, Abloh revisited the Nike Air Presto silhouette, this time in monochromatic black and white colorways. Like the previous Off-White ‘The Ten’ Air Presto, these Nike shoes present a deconstructed take on the classic, with an added heel strap, aged caging, and signature textual details. The White iteration features a stitched-on Swoosh, aged to an appropriately off-white patina, against its white mesh uppers, while a red zip tie adds a pop of bold color.
Nike Blazer Mid Off-White All Hallows Eve
Virgil Abloh first tackled the Nike Blazer Mid (named for the Portland Trailblazers) in 2017’s ‘The Ten’ Nike Off-White collab. The following year, he returned to the classic Nike shoe for a special Halloween release. Dropped alongside the Grim Reaper colorway, the Off-White Blazer Mid All Hallows Eve showcases Abloh’s signature flourishes in spooky seasonal style. An oversized orange Swoosh adds an autumnal punch to the shoe’s pale vanilla uppers, while the light blue zip tie offers a contrasting punch of color.
