Kanye West's sneakers sold for record $1.8mn at private auction
Kanye West just added two million dollars to his bank account, thanks to his sneakers! The pair of Nike Air Yeezy 1s worn by the rap mogul was sold for $1.8 million at a private auction, Sotheby's confirmed. The sneakers fetched almost triple the money of the previous record, which was a pair of Nike Air Jordan 1s sold for $615,000 in August 2020.
The highest publicly recorded price for a sneaker sale ever
"The sale marks the highest publicly recorded price for a sneaker sale ever," Sotheby's said in a statement, adding that, "The sale also marks the first pair of sneakers to top $1 million." Notably, West wore the Black Yeezys while performing Hey Mama and Stronger during the 2008 Grammy Awards. The pair of prototype Nikes were acquired by RARES, a sneaker investment marketplace.
The sale speaks volumes of Kanye's legacy, says Sotheby's
"We are thrilled with the result, which has nearly tripled the highest price on record," Brahm Wachter, Sotheby's head of streetwear and modern collectables, said in a statement. "The sale speaks volumes of Kanye's legacy as one of the most influential clothing and sneaker designers of our time, and of the Yeezy franchise he has built which has become an industry titan," he added.
It's actually the grail of grails, said RARES founder
To note, RARES helps people invest in rare pairs of athletic footwear. Interestingly, you can buy shares in a pair of shoes, just how you buy a company's stocks. RARES was started by former American football player Gerome Sapp. "That was actually the grail of grails," Sapp said, as he offered to buy at a price that was beyond Sotheby's estimate of $1 million.
What is so special about these shoes?
The high-end shoes of size 12 (US) or 11 (UK) were designed by the Ye rapper himself, along with Mark Smith for Nike. The prototype is made of soft black leather and comes with perforated detailing throughout the upper for added charm. The gorgeous pair of black sneakers also comes with the classic Yeezy forefoot strap and the 'Y' medallion lace locks.
