Update 04/26/2021 4:02pm:
A prototype of Kanye West’s Nike Air Yeezy 1 shoe sold for $1.8 million, making them the most expensive sneakers ever sold. The Air Yeezy 1 prototype is also the first recorded sneaker sale for over $1 million. The previous record was held by a pair of 1985 Air Jordan 1s, designed and worn by Michael Jordan, which sold in 2020 for $560,000.
The Yeezy prototype, which was worn by Kanye at the 2008 Grammys, were bought by sneaker investing platform RARES. The sneaker marked the beginning of Kanye's foray into the sneaker world, which saw him eventually leave Nike for adidas, where his Yeezy brand was recently valued between $3.2 billion and $4.7 billion, according to Bloomberg.
Source: Rolling Stone
Original 04/13/2021 12:28pm:
Kanye's first prototype from his Yeezy line for Nike in 2008 is going up for auction. The shoes, which were worn by Kanye during his 2008 Grammy performance, are valued at more than $1 million, making them the most valuable sneaker to ever come to market.
The current record for the highest sneaker sale is held by a pair of Michael Jordan's Air Jordan 1s, which sold for $560,000 in May 2020. The shoes are owned by Ryan Chang, a New York-based collector.
Chang spoke about the importance of the sneaker, stating, "The Air Yeezy Prototype is particularly special to me because it captured the cultural moment in 2008 so perfectly. There he was, Kanye West, on stage at the Grammys, winning 4 awards that evening, and unveiling an incredibly important and iconic design in Nike's storied history."
The sneakers are being sold in a private Sotheby's sale that started on April 12 and has no end date. People interested in buying them can inquire directly with Sotheby's sales directors to make an offer on the pair. They will also be on display at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center from April 16-21.
Source: Business Insider
