# Luxe Skateboard Decks The Ai Weiwei Sk8room 2013 Skateboards are a Work of Functional Art By Thomas Wade-West | Published 2013-10-02 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ai-weiwei-sk8room References: [hypebeast](http://hypebeast.com/2013/9/ai-weiwei-x-sk8room-2013-fall-winter-skateboards) Chinese artist [Ai Weiwei](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/about-silk) has recently collaborated with Sk8room to produce a range of high-end skate decks. Each of these skate decks is priced at $1,013. Sk8room has collaborated with other artists in the past including [KAWS](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/2025-nobu-rare), Jeff Koons and [NIGO](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/from-japan-with-love-collection). The Ai Weiwei collection features imagery of some of Weiwei's most popular installations: sunflower seeds and ceramic crabs. Each piece of artwork is also accompanied with a statement that helps to explain the motive behind each piece. The first 25 boards come with a certificate hand-signed by Weiwei. There will be a limit of 150 production pieces and 20% of the decks' proceeds go to Skateistan (a non-profit NGO geared toward youth education and skateboarding). These hand design pieces -- while fully functional -- should certainly be treated as collector pieces. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.6/10 - Popularity: 70% | Activity: 31% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 90% men, 10% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **High-end Skate Decks:** The collaboration between Sk8room and Ai Weiwei showcases a trend of producing luxury skate decks with intricate designs. - **Artistic Collaborations:** Sk8room's previous collaborations with renowned artists like KAWS, Jeff Koons, and NIGO indicate a trend of partnering with artists to create unique skateboard designs. - **Skateboarding for Social Causes:** The proceeds from the Ai Weiwei skate decks going to Skateistan highlight a trend of using skateboarding as a means to support non-profit organizations focused on youth education. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Luxury Retail:** The production of high-end skate decks by Sk8room and Ai Weiwei creates a disruptive innovation opportunity in the luxury retail industry, offering skateboard collectors a unique and valuable product. - **Art and Design:** The collaborations between Sk8room and renowned artists present an opportunity for the art and design industry to explore new avenues for artistic expression through functional pieces like skateboard decks. - **Non-profit and Education:** Skateboarding's role in supporting organizations like Skateistan shows the potential for disruption in the non-profit and education sectors, utilizing alternative activities to engage and empower young individuals. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Luxe Fashion House Skateboards](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fendi-skateboard.md) - [Blue Silkscreen Skateboard Decks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kai-and-sunny-1.md) - [Artful Skateboard Deck Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kraftwerk-collection.md) - [Pop Art Skateboard Capsules](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-skateroom-1.md) - [Co-Branded Furniture Skateboard Decks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/eames-office-x-globe-boards-collection.md) - [Psychedelic Skateboard Decks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/new-psychedelia.md) - [Anniversary-Celebrating Arty Skateboard Decks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/stevie-williams1.md) - [Lounge Chair-Inspired Skateboards](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/eames-lounge-cruiser.md) - [Skateboard-Inspired Stamp Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/skateboard-inspired-stamp-collection.md)