Virgil Abloh’s undocumented ‘Look See’ sample is finally unveiled…and apparently there are only one to three pairs in existence.
@ryancooper___ shared crispy clear images of the shoe in a recent Instagram post. In the caption, the collector says that, “This is a museum-grade shoe!” and adds that this will very likely be a buyer’s only chance to purchase a pair.
Here’s what sneakerheads are saying in the comments:
@not_enuff_heat: “Not Enuff Heat Verified 💯 These kicks are straight flames! 🔥”
@nickyb2313: “Ryan always coming with the best of the best 🤝”
@mr_unloved1s: “Finally”
A Rare Peek at Virgil Abloh’s Black/Yellow Off-White Jordan 1 Sample
Virgil Abloh’s Air Jordan 1 began with an X-Acto knife and an off-the-shelf pair. In a 2020 Instagram post, he called them ‘the exact pair that kicked off an epiphany’.
That experiment turned into ‘The Ten’, his 2017 Off-White collection with Nike, with the collection’s retail AJ1 arriving in classic Chicago colors. The sample we’re seeing now pairs a mostly black upper with bright yellow accents. It’s a striking look with loads of fun details including a deconstructed build, raw exposed foam, a supersized detached Swoosh, and industrial-style lettering. A ‘Look See’ is an early pre-production sample used to review a design. Sole Retriever says the colorway is reminiscent of Wu-Tang and Bruce Lee, and the yellow-and-black palette recalls the jumpsuit Lee wore in Game of Death.
While it’s structurally very similar to the released pair, this colorway has reportedly never been seen publicly, and the Virgil Abloh Archive apparently has no record of it. The Archive made its own Air Jordan 1 news earlier this year, when the Virgil Abloh Archive x Air Jordan 1 “Alaska” returned on April 3, 2026, according to Complex.
RELATED: These Louis Vuitton “Virgil Was Here” Trainers Are the Ultimate Tribute to Virgil Abloh
Off-White x Air Jordan 1 Black/Yellow Sample: The Details You’ve Been Waiting For
- Shoe: Off-White x Air Jordan 1 ‘Look See’ sample
- Colorway: Black/Yellow (also reported as Black/Lightning)
- Year: 2017 (per Sneaker News) or 2018 (per the collector, HotNewsHipHop and Sneakerjagers)
- Pairs believed to exist: One to three, according to the collector
- Retail release: None announced
Just over nine years after ‘The Ten’ reshaped sneaker collaborations, Abloh’s archive is still surprising us.
RELATED: 15 All-White Jordan Sneakers In 2026 That Make Every Outfit Look Expensive
Can You Buy the Off-White Jordan 1 Black/Lightning Sample?
As for getting a pair? Nike hasn’t announced any release plans, and the collector’s caption is the only hint of a chance to buy. For a sense of the market, a white Off-White x Air Jordan 1 Look See sample from 2018 was listed on Joopiter for $5,900 (an asking price, not a sale price).
The caption says the collector is hearing serious offers and asks interested buyers to message them to inquire.
