What Makes A Louis Vuitton Sneaker Worth 1,600?

One thousand six hundred bucks is a lot to spend on anything, let alone a pair of sneakers. But that’s the retail price of the high-top LV 408 Trainer from Virgil Abloh’s Spring/Summer 2019 Louis Vuitton men’s collection. It has drawn ire not just for its exorbitant price tag, but also for its similarities to the Avia 880, a 1988 basketball shoe worn by Scottie Pippen and Clyde Drexler. It isn’t the first time luxury labels have tapped classic sportswear silhouettes for inspiration, nor will it be the last. Phoebe Philo-era Céline had its Air Force 1 homage, Hedi Slimane made the Air Jordan 1-esque SL/10H at Saint Laurent, and Maison Margiela has the Replica, an upscale reinterpretation of the German Army Trainer. More recently, Dior under Kim Jones has given us the B23, a Chuck Taylor-inspired sneaker made of technical canvas with a patchwork sole. Read more at Highsnobiety.