Kanye West has a storied history when it comes to sneakers. Before joining Adidas to create his very own brand, Kanye was working with Nike and in the late 2000s, he came through with the Nike Air Yeezy 1. Over the years, there have been a plethora of samples that have hit the auction block and recently, Sotheby’s received the most coveted pair yet. This shoe was a Nike Air Yeezy 1 sample that was made specifically for the Grammys. The shoe has a black leather upper and various unique details that make it stand out.
The opening bid for the shoe was a modest $1 million but now, it has officially sold for $1.8 million. The winner was Rares App who is known for buying extremely rare sneakers to add to their inventory. This was a massive win for Rares and it also sets a big precedent. A shoe has never sold for this much money before, and it’s basically confirmed the fact that Kanye’s output with Nike is some of the most valuable footwear on the market.
This auction will certainly lead to some other massive sales in the future. If you’re someone who holds a Nike Air Yeezy sample in their collection, you might just want to think about selling.