Virgil Abloh Almost Gave the World a Prada x Nike Collaboration

Even in death, Virgil Abloh continues to prove himself as one of the greatest design minds of the last 50 years.

In its September 2025 issue, GQ has shared an exclusive first-look at the Virgil Abloh Archive™, the top-secret collection of "20,000 garments, shoes, bags, documents, pieces of art, and personal mementos that belonged [to the late artist]", as Samuel Hine writes.

Although specifics about the VAA™'s location are kept under wraps, the story shares high-res photos of never-before-seen items from both Abloh's professional career and personal life. The collection includes everything from the Off-White™ founder's favorite office supplies to scrapped ideas for his work with Louis Vuitton.

On the sneaker-front, the story showcases sample pairs from the highly-coveted Nike Air Force 1 collection by Louis Vuitton, prototypes from "The Ten," and some of Abloh's most-worn pairs. Hine's report also unveils one of the last decade's biggest What if? stories: A collaboration between Nike and Prada Linea Rossa.

For the uninformed, Linea Rossa is a division of Italian luxury fashion brand, Prada. First presented in 1997, the label (which translates to "red line") "combines fashion and sports in a collection that blends innovation, design and function," according to an official description.

Linea Rossa differs from the majority of Prada's offerings, although it's become highly-sought after since its debut. The $950 America's Cup sneaker is one of the line's most popular items, although eyewear and Re-Nylon tracksuits have also helped the category remain relevant over the past 28 years.

True to its name, Prada Linea Rossa products feature a red line somewhere in its construction and packaging.

Virgil Abloh had become an exciting force in streetwear by the late-2010s. On Aug. 21, 2017, he and Nike, Inc. announced "The Ten," an ambitious 10-pair project that shifted the footwear and design industries. (Eight years later, the magic captured by the Illinois-native and Oregon-based sportswear brand seems impossible to recreate, by the Swoosh and its competitors.)

Throughout the year, Abloh had developed pitch decks and prototypes for high fashion juggernauts like Versace and eventual employer, Louis Vuitton. And while murmurs had been heard about Abloh's behind-the-scenes efforts for these brands, any hint of a collaboration between Nike and Prada Linea Rossa spearheaded by Abloh had been non-existent until now.

Photography by Michael Schmelling for GQ's story only captures a grainy image of a single mock-up Virgil Abloh created for a Linea Rosa-Nike pitch. It's uncertain which of the two companies the then-37-year-old planned to contact/contacted with his idea, but what's clear is that fashion enthusiasts across the world would've adored the project.

It's probable a collaboration between the world's biggest sportswear company and Prada would've included several footwear and apparel items, as well as accessories, but Hine's story confirms Abloh was experimenting with the idea using the Nike VaporMax. A makeshift prototype saw the multi-hyphenate place red-colored tape from the top of the sneaker's spine to just before the outsole's halfway mark à la America's Cup.

The pair's light-clad upper and sole unit allowed for the branding element to revel in the spotlight. The choice of silhouette coupled Linea Rossa's sporty aesthetic and technical ethos with the Swoosh's marquee visible Air cushioning solution of the era.

Virgil Abloh's vision for a linkup between two giants in their fields never came into fruition, but he would go on to coordinate the launch of a bigger project years later: the Louis Vuitton Air Force 1 collection.

The creative did not see his ambitious project release, losing the battle to cardiac angiosarcoma eight months before the collaboration's July 19, 2022 drop.

Abloh, however, likely saw a glimpse of his bold idea from '17 through the partnership between Adidas and Prada.

A detailed timeline of events may never come to light, but what's certain is that the Three Stripes collaborated on a number of products with Prada between December 2019 and May 2023. The relationship kicked off with a $525 Adidas Superstar crafted in Italy, but eventually produced the all-new A+P LUNA ROSSA 21 and reworked several models from the Adidas Football range. The latter two projects differ from any "shell-toe" as they are firmly cemented within the Linea Rossa series.

The work between both European institutions was received with mixed reactions. Each collaboration's simplicity and high price tag was enough to have countless folks ignore the partnership all-together. A Gucci x Adidas Originals collection during Summer 2022 also stole attention from the red-accented releases.

A linkup between Nike and Prada Linea Rossa might've suffered a similar fate, but Abloh's initiative, cultural knowledge, and access to the Swoosh's expansive performance archive suggests the unrealized collab would've performed better.

Community-oriented Instagram account @moulagaclique has amassed a healthy collection of images depicting classic Nike Sportswear styles paired with Prada Linea Rossa pants. The combination speaks to fashion sensibilities in cities like London and Paris. Silhouettes from the Air Max Plus family are common for their street credibility and technical design.

Those looking to keep things strictly Italian can pick up the Prada Collision Technical Fabric sneaker. Launched in early 2021, the design features visible AIR units—one at the heel and two at the forefoot—in similar fashion to the aforementioned Tuned Air pioneer and Air Max 95. At $950, the model wasn't the most accessible and has since been discontinued. However, it begs the question: Could the style have been inspired by Virgil Abloh's vision from four years prior?

The Collision Technical Fabric sneaker hasn't been Prada's only AIR-cushioned footwear style. Other designs have resembled other popular runners from the Air Max franchise, creating a through-line to Abloh's pitch.

There's no word about the current standing of the partnership between Adidas and Prada, but the duo has not released any new product in two years. If this means the relationship is done, Nike could contemplate a collaboration with the Italian luxury house. The Swoosh recently entered into partnerships with LEGO® and Yu-Gi-Oh!, two entities previously having worked with the Three Stripes.

Perhaps GQ's story is exactly what was missing for Virgil Abloh's future-forward, bold idea to finally come to life.