Burton c/o Virgil Abloh Snowboard Collection Up for Auction March 15
Snowboarding fanatics and fans of the late artist and designer Virgil Abloh will have a chance to grab a bit of Burton history when the brand puts 10 exclusive Manifesto boards created with Abloh up for auction March 15. The second collaboration between the two industry heavyweights, this one was in the works for two years before Abloh, the former artistic director of Louis Vuitton and founder of fashion house Off-White, passed in November 2021 of cancer, age 41.
The 10 limited-edition boards will be available via 48-hour digital auction at pmfbrtn.givesmart.com starting at 12pm ET on March 15, with a starting bid of $1,977—a nod to 1977, the year Burton was founded. The Manifesto board is an all-mountain ride with a directional shape that increases stability and float, and an extra-wide platform from tip to tail. A directional camber under both feet lends stability through turns and variable conditions, along with a rockered nose for added lift and float.
Virgil Abloh grew up snowboarding and the sport influenced his own perspective throughout his 20-plus-year career, providing inspiration for projects across fashion, art, design, music, and philanthropy.
His relationship with Burton started in 2017, when he visited the headquarters in Vermont to discuss a fashion-forward women’s outerwear collaboration with his brand Off-White. In late 2020, Burton connected again with Abloh about working together on future projects, which resulted in The Manifesto board.
The graphic centerpiece of the limited-edition black-and-white snowboard is an excerpt from Abloh’s Burton Manifesto: “PRODUCT THAT BY ITS EXISTENCE NOT ONLY STANDS AS EVIDENCE FOR THE EVOLUTION OF A SUBCULTURE AND SPORT BUT BECOMES AN ARTIFACT WHICH PROVES THAT DIVERSITY WITHIN SNOWBOARDING IS NOT ONLY AN IDEA, IT’S ACTUALLY HAPPENING, CARE OF BURTON and VIRGIL ABLOH.”
“It was very important to Virgil that his next collaboration with Burton stand for something, that it share a larger message, so he created a manifesto to guide the collection,” says Adrian Josef Margelist, chief creative officer at Burton. “Every person who worked on this project, from the snowboard designers and the project managers to the riders at the photo shoot took Virgil’s words to heart. They became our manifesto, our mantra, our motivation. Virgil’s words say it best:”
The manifesto also meshes with Burton’s brand values and the company’s commitment to justice, equality, diversity, and inclusion for the long-term survival of the company, sport, and community. With representation in snowboarding being at the core of Abloh’s words, Burton team riders Brolin Mawejje and Zeb Powell shared their perspectives on it.
“I try to leave my impact on snowboarders just like Virgil left an impact on me,” Powell adds. “Keeping up with me. Taking the time to talk, it meant so, so, much.”
“The manifesto says it well. It’s not just an idea; it is beyond the conversation,” said Mawejje. “It is happening. We are watching it happen and will continue to watch the sport of snowboarding grow…Be like Virgil. Be the gatekeepers who can open up those gates wider so that more kids can flood in and be a part of the culture.”
Proceeds from the auctions will go to the Virgil Abloh “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund, followed by a limited-edition collection of snowboards, boots, and bindings that will be available for purchase on Burton on the same day.
To celebrate Abloh’s life and legacy, Burton will also donate $300,000 over three years to causes that increase BIPOC representation in snowboarding.