‘Virgil Abloh’s ‘The Codes’ Retrospective Is Coming to NYC
An intimate look into Abloh’s life and legacy through nearly 1,000 objects, installations, and experiences, including a recreation of his Paris office.
Summary
The Virgil Abloh Archive™ and Nike will present a New York iteration of 'Virgil Abloh: The Codes,' a retrospective exhibition exploring the late designer's influence across fashion, culture, art, and design
The presentation features everything from finished products, prototypes, archival materials, sketches, to a recreation of Abloh's Paris office
The showcase will run from December 10, 2026 through January 18, 2027, with tickets going on sale October 23, 2026 for $25
The Virgil Abloh Archive™ and Nike are bringing back Virgil Abloh: The Codes, the global exhibition dedicated to the life, work, and legacy of the visionary designer.
Opening on December 10, 2026, at The Shed in New York City and curated by Chloe Sultan and Mahfuz Sultan, the showcase features nearly 1,000 pieces that illuminate Abloh’s work, creative process, and cultural influence across fashion, art, architecture, graphic design, and music.
Grounded in his open-source philosophy, better known as his “Codes,” the forthcoming presentation builds on the methodologies explored in earlier iterations in Paris and Miami, with a greater focus on making “Abloh’s creative thinking tangible,” per a Nike statement.
Expect finished works, prototypes, sketches, archival material, and more gems telling of his experimental approach to form and collaborations. Also on view will be a recreation of his Paris office and an interactive media lab loaded with raw design files for a closer look at his processes.
Previous editions have debuted previously unreleased footwear, from the Off-White™ x Nike Terra Forma in Miami to the V.A.A. x Nike Zoom M9 Cryoshot in Paris. While anything’s yet to be confirmed, another V.A.A. sneaker could be on the table.
“As we mark the fifth anniversary of Virgil’s passing, this exhibition is an opportunity to honor his tireless spirit and how he changed the way people think about creativity, collaboration and what is possible,” says Shannon Abloh, the founder of Abloh’s Archive™ and Foundation.
“Virgil believed in opening doors and making knowledge accessible, and The Codes brings that spirit forward by sharing his process, his ideas and the extraordinary breadth of his work with new generations. His legacy lives on through the people he inspired and the opportunities we continue to create in his name.”
A month-long schedule of performances, workshops, and conversations will accompany the exhibition, with details still to come.
Virgil Abloh: The Codes will run at The Shed in New York from December 10, 2026, through January 18, 2027. Tickets for the general public go on sale October 23, 2026, starting at $25.
