Nike honours Virgil Abloh's legacy at The Codes, Europe's first exhibit from the Virgil Abloh Archive™

Nike and the Virgil Abloh Archive™ are debuting the first major European exhibition devoted to Virgil's work as one of the most influential designers of the 21st century. 

"Virgil Abloh: The Codes" will honour Virgil's creative legacy in a 10-day showing at the Grand Palais in Paris, highlighting his long-term partnership with Nike and sharing design methodologies that were central to his creative identity. 

The exhibition and its related programmes are designed to showcase Virgil's methodological principles, known as his Codes, which are meant to be applicable to any medium, product or space. The Codes made his work, particularly The Ten with Nike, both easily identifiable and translatable.

"The Codes exhibition kicks off our commitment to bringing Virgil's legacy and creative process to the creative community and beyond. I am most grateful for Nike's continued partnership in this important work".—Shannon Abloh, chief executive officer and managing director of Virgil Abloh Securities. 

"Sharing his personal collection, unfinished work and magnum opuses with the world is a powerful way we honour Virgil's deep belief in access and collaboration. Through the Virgil Abloh Archive, his vision continues to inspire and guide the next generation".

The exhibition is the latest collaboration between Nike, Virgil's long-time design partner, the Virgil Abloh Archive, a collection of over 20,000 objects from his creative practice, and the Virgil Abloh Foundation, a non-profit created to continue his work and honour his legacy. 

Curated by Chloe Sultan and Mahfuz Sultan, the exhibition serves as an expanded edition of the 2022 "Virgil Abloh: The Codes" exhibition in Miami, tracing how Virgil's signature design principles thread through his work in apparel, footwear, architecture, music, advertising and more, unifying a practice that spans disciplines. The exhibition also highlights Virgil's collaborations with artists, athletes and designers, underscoring the ethos of collectivity and creative dialogue at the heart of his work.

In Paris, the partners will host a series of publications and public programmes—including dialogues, workshops, DJ sets and screenings—to accompany the exhibition, offering further insight into the exhibition's themes and bringing together voices from Virgil's broader creative community.

Nike activations will include surprise conversations with Nike athletes, designers and partners, along with workshops and deep dives into Nike and Virgil's longstanding partnership and his Nike archive.

"The Codes operate as the soul of Virgil's legacy; they are at the heart of the Archive", says Athiththan Selvendran, chief operating officer of Virgil Abloh Securities, chief creative officer of the Virgil Abloh Foundation and director of the Virgil Abloh Archive. "The Codes tell a story about the creative intention and archival practice that shaped Virgil's identity. They guide us, reminding us that collectivity and accessibility should be centred in our collaborations and expressions. This is how we keep his legacy alive".

"Virgil Abloh: The Codes" will be on view at the Grand Palais from 30 September—Virgil’s birthday—until 9 October. Learn more about the exhibition at virgilabloh.com.