BURTON C/O VIRGIL ABLOH™ COLLECTION
Virgil Abloh was a unique talent and a pivotal figure in determining the future of the art, music, fashion, and creative scenes: one that is more inclusive. He has, unlike the gatekeepers of previous eras, linked up with both young emerging and more established artists, always valuing raw art over social status.
When Abloh visited Burton headquarters in late 2020 for a second collaboration with the snowboard brand, he wanted, as always, to create something more than just products. “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,” said 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 manifesto reads: “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™”
The designer’s manifesto became the centerpiece of 10 Burton snowboards that will be digitally auctioned by the Virgil Abloh™ “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund. This, in turn, will help foster equity and inclusion by providing scholarships to students of academic promise of Black, African American, or African descent.
“The Manifesto says it well. It’s not just an idea; it is beyond the conversation. It is happening. We are watching it happen and will continue to watch the sport of snowboarding grow,” Burton team rider Brolin Mawejje commented. “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.”
Starting at 5:00 p.m. GMT on March 15, visit pmfbrtn.givesmart.com to join the Virgil Abloh™ “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund’s digital auction of 10 exclusive Burton c/o Virgil Abloh™ ‘Manifesto’ snowboards.
