Nike

Synchronized with Virgil Abloh’s ‘Figures of Speech’ exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) in Chicago, in 2019, Nike released the Air Force 1 Low OFF-WHITE MCA University Blue. Following the cadence of previous event based Off-White Air Force 1s (ComplexCon and MoMA), the Off-White ‘University Blue’, dubbed by many as the ‘MCA’, features a chrome Swoosh, exposed foam lining, ‘Air’ on the midsole, and Abloh's signature quotation marks. 

The Air Force 1, arguably Nike’s most iconic sneaker, is in many regards, the first of its kind. Previously realized in running shoes, the introduction of Nike’s ‘Air’ technology in the midsole was a revolutionary concept for basketball sneakers. Tasked with bringing the concept to life, designer Bruce Kilgore and an Aerospace engineer brought the project to fruition with a hiking boot inspired, ankle strapped, high top. Kilgore’s first basketball sneaker, the Air Force 1 was brought to market in 1982. 

Samples are sneakers made by the manufacturer either for promotional purposes or for testing various aspects of a design. They are far rarer than the general release pairs.