Solebox just ran one of the most thoughtful sneaker raffles in recent memory. For their in-store raffle tied to the Virgil Abloh Archive x Air Jordan 1 High OG "Alaska," the German retailer did something different. Instead of a standard entry form, they asked participants to design their own Air Jordan 1 concept.
The prompt was simple and perfect: "If creativity had no limits, what's your AJ1 design?" Submissions poured in from the community and Solebox highlighted standout designs across their platforms.
The raffle entry form itself doubled as a blank Air Jordan 1 sketch template. People drew directly on it and handed it in with their size selection.
The concept is a genuine tribute to who Virgil was. He once said his hope was for the kid who didn't get the Off-Whites to go to a store, buy a regular pair, head to Lowe's, grab a zip tie and an X-Acto knife, and do their own spin on it.
That spirit of open creative participation defined his entire legacy. Asking sneaker fans to sketch their own concepts before entering a raffle for his shoe is exactly the kind of creative invention Virgil championed.
The submissions shown range from intricate hand-drawn concepts to more straightforward colorway ideas. One features detailed shading with "ABLOH" written on the midsole. This is how you honor a legacy properly.
Virgil Abloh Archive x Air Jordan 1 High OG "Alaska"
The Virgil Abloh Archive x Air Jordan 1 High OG "Alaska" is a clean, minimal interpretation of Virgil's Off-White design language. The shoe runs in a mostly white and light grey construction with soft blue paneling at the collar and toe.
A blue zip tie replaces the standard red one from the original Off-White Jordan 1. Orange stitching details appear throughout as a subtle callback to Virgil's signature accent color. "AIR" is stamped on the midsole in his iconic quotation mark treatment.
It is a restrained release that feels appropriate for an archive drop honoring one of fashion's most important creative voices.
