This spring, the Virgil Abloh Archive gifted pairs of the new Air Jordan 1 High OG x V.A.A. and copies of The Virgil Reader, Volume 001 to 20 students at the Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD).
The Air Jordan 1 High OG x V.A.A. is a new edition of Virgil Abloh’s work with Jordan Brand and Nike, extending his approach to making design processes visible through details such as the exposed tongue, orange tab on the Swoosh, and “AIR” lettering on the midsole. The release draws from the Virgil Abloh Archive, which preserves and activates the late designer’s expansive creative practice across fashion, architecture, music, art, and culture.
Students selected in a lottery held at the end-of-semester barbecue also received a copy of The Virgil Reader, Volume 001, the Archive’s first printed publication. Bringing together interviews, archival materials, and cultural commentary, the volume offers insight into Abloh’s ideas, methods, and enduring influence as a designer whose practice crossed disciplinary boundaries.
Abloh had a meaningful relationship with the GSD in the final years of his life. His 2017 Core Studio Public Lecture, “Insert Complicated Title Here,” filled Piper Auditorium and became one of the School’s most widely viewed lectures online. The talk was later adapted into “Insert Complicated Title Here,” published as part of the GSD’s The Incidents series. In her 2021 remembrance of Abloh for the GSD, architect and design critic Oana Stănescu reflected on the generosity, openness, and urgency that animated his work and his exchanges with students. “Few people achieve in a lifetime what Virgil Abloh did in too short of a time: he broke the odds, not just once, for fun, but as a rule,” wrote Stănescu. “It’s not that he didn’t face obstacles. On the contrary, he chose to ignore them as such, use them as a springboard, revealing their hypocrisy and limitations, carving a path not just for himself, but for generations to come.”
“Virgil understood design as a shared language—one that flows and grows through dialogue, generosity, and the continual exchange of ideas,” said Athiththan Selvendran, Chief Creative Officer of the Virgil Abloh Foundation. “We hope that within Harvard GSD’s culture of critical inquiry and interdisciplinary practice, these works become catalysts for new conversations, extending Virgil’s invitation to question, create, and imagine futures together.”
At the GSD, Abloh’s visits drew audiences from across Harvard, Cambridge, and the greater Boston area. He was known not only for attracting large crowds but also for remaining present afterward—answering questions, speaking with students, and signing sneakers long after the formal program had ended.
The Virgil Abloh Archive’s gift to GSD students continues that spirit of generosity and Abloh’s commitment to future generations of designers.
