Earlier this month, it was announced that the historic auction house Sotheby’s would be selling the only pair of Nike Air Yeezy 1 Prototype sneakers in existence. Today, it has been confirmed that the sneakers — worn by Kanye West during the legendary 50th Annual Grammy Awards performance — have sold, smashing the estimate of $1m USD after selling for a staggering $1.8m USD.
Purchased by the fractional ownership and sneaker investing marketplace RARES, the sale marks a new milestone for a publicly recorded sneaker sale. Previous records include the Nike “Moon Shoe” that sold for $437,500 USD, as well as the pair of game-worn Air Jordan 1s that fetched $560,000 USD in May 2020. Since then, we’ve seen pairs of AJ1s sell for almost a million dollars, but no shoe eclipses this latest Sotheby’s sale.
The pair carries a lot of weight on its heels, being the 2008 sample that appeared not just during ‘Ye’s Stronger and Hey Mama performance at the Grammys, but then going on to mark one of the most sought-after collaborations ever in the sneaker industry.
Gerome Sapp, CEO & Co-Founder of RARES, said, “We are thrilled to work with Sotheby’s on this acquisition. Our goal in purchasing such an iconic shoe — and a piece of history — is to increase accessibility and empower the communities that birthed sneaker culture with the tools to gain financial freedom through RARES. We look forward to working with Sotheby’s to continue to identify rare finds that will help elevate, preserve and uphold sneaker culture.”
The former owner of the shoes Ryan Chang, who is a cosigner, collector, and the curator of applied.arts.nyc, said, “I loved having this pair in my collection, and have always admired its significance as a cultural artifact. I’m so grateful that this iconic piece is going into good hands courtesy of Sotheby’s.”
As Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum battles his way through the 2020-2021 NBAseason he’s sported several Air Jordan 35 PEs on the court, the latest of which is dubbed “Denim.” Drawing from Tatum’s favorite Air Jordan 4 — 2018’s blue jean-inspired Levi’s x Air Jordan 4, to be specific — the design features a compelling material blend and a plethora of details.The forefoot, heel and color alike are constructed of washed blue denim, surrounding familiar blue Flightwire on the toebox and quarter. Tongues and collar lining alike are done up in a soft blue tone, and add to the material mix with supple suede. Dashes of tan are worked into the mix as well, appearing on the forefoot, midfoot, tongue tab and heel Nike Air tax for a nod to the patch found on the rear of Levi’s jeans.
There’s also touches of bright red to be seen, namely on the eyestays, the left tongue’s JT logo, the right tongue’s Jordan Brand graphic and the “Deuce” spellout on the inside of each tongue. Down below, a tan Eclipse Plate 2.0 houses two Zoom Air units and works with a berry blue midsole to round off the look.
As the Air Jordan 35 “Denim” is a special style crafted exclusively for Tatum, it will not see a retail release. However, you’ll be able to catch it on NBA courts this season: Tatum wore it in the Celtics’ recent victory over the Phoenix Suns and may sport it again in later games.
There’s nary a better way to make a good first impression than with a fresh pair of sneakers, and Nike (NYSE:NKE +1.68%) is enabling you to introduce yourself in style with the Air Force 1 “Hello, My Name Is.” A two-tone sneaker with nametag-inspired graphics and a nom de guerre that’s surely Slim Shady-approved, the “Hello, My Name Is” may be Nike Sportswear‘s most quirky Air Force 1 Low since the USPS Priority Mail-inspired Air Force 1 Experimental.
Uppers are made of supple black leather, split by a high-gloss black Swoosh with white trim. “Hello” is embroidered in white on the heel, and also appears in white on the tongue tag, where it sits above a blank white square for the shoe’s most direct nod to its nickname. A final “Hello” appears on the insoles, and heels take on a white Nike Air badge. Down below, the look is finalized by a white midsole with jet black foxing and a black outsole.
The Nike Air Force 1 “Hello, My Name Is” will release via the Nike webstore and at retailers like Urbanstar Roma on June 3. Its MSRP is set at a standard $110 USD.
As we head through the final days of April and into the beginning of May, the world’s biggest footwear brands are pumping out a plethora of great drops for your summer sneaker rotation. Nike (NYSE:NKE +1.68%) , Jordan Brand, adidas (XETRA:ADS.DE +0.35%) , Reebok, ASICS (TOKYO:7936.T +0.45%) and more have prepped high-heat collaborations and dashing in-line styles — 10 of which we’ve rounded up in this installment of Weekly Footwear Drops. Before we get into the goodness however, let’s take a look back on what went down last week.
For the latest installment of Sole Mates, Bodega co-founder Oliver Mak spoke about the Dr. Martens 1461 and how it tied into his punk roots. HYPEBEAST also took a look at some of the best Clarks Originals collaborations. It was a heavy Air Jordan week as well. Leading things off were the collaborations, namely first looks at the 30th anniversary Union LA x Air Jordan 4, the fragment design x Travis Scott Air Jordan 1 Low, the announcement of a release date for the Travis Scott x Air Jordan 6 “British Khaki” and on-foot shots of the fragment design x Travis Scott Air Jordan 1and Paris Saint-Germain Air Jordan 7 alike. Apart from these collaborations, we saw official images of the Air Jordan 1 “Pollen,” the Air Jordan 1 “Electro Orange,” the Air Jordan 3 “Racer Blue,” and the Air Jordan 7 “Flint.” There was also an opportunity to check out Air Jordan 35 PEs for Jayson Tatum, Luka Dončić and Kemba Walker.
Moving from Air Jordans to Nike, an immense dose of Dunk news was supplied. On the Nike Sportswear front, there were official images of the Dunk Low “Rooted In Peace,” the Dunk Low “N7,” the Dunk Low “University Blue,” the Dunk Low “Laser Orange” the Dunk High “Crimson Tint” and the Dunk High “Panda.” If that’s not enough, Nike SB got in on the mix with a Parra SB Dunk Low that’s a potential friends-and-family style, Stingwater’s SB Dunk Low, FTC’s SB Dunk Low and the SB Dunk High “TV Signal.” In the world of hoops, Kobe Bryant’s Nike contract expiredand it was reported that his estate is planning a personal brand launch.
Last but not least, it was the busiest week in recent memory for Kanye West‘s adidas YEEZY line. Models both fresh and familiar found release dates, first looks and more, including the YEEZY QNTM “Onyx,” the YEEZY 500 High “Sumac” and “Tactical Orange,” the YEEZY 500 “Enflame,” the YEEZY 500 “Taupe Light,” the YEEZY BOOST 700 “Enflame Amber” and the YEEZY BOOST 350 V2 “Leaf.”
Caught up after a whirlwind week? Let’s get into this week’s 10 best releases. You may notice that several of last week’s releases were postponed and appear again on this week’s list. When you’re done peeping the drops, you can also head over to HBX to check out even more new footwear styles.
Nike Dunk Low “Green Glow”
Release Date: April 27
Release Price: $100 USD
Where to Buy: Nike and Foot Locker
Why You Should Cop: When it comes to Dunk Low drops, Nike hasn’t taken its foot off the gas all year. The latest style to surface is the Dunk Low “Green Glow,” a clean and cool two-tone style for women that mixes crisp white leather with eponymous “Green Glow” accents. It’ll be available in an extended size run as well, so larger-footed fans will be able to get their fill.
The Simpsons x adidas Superstar “Squishee”
Release Date: April 28
Release Price: TBC
Where to Buy: adidas UK
Why You Should Cop: Over the course of The Simpsons‘ 32 seasons, few beverages are more seminal than the Squishee, a highly colorful — and highly unhealthy — frozen drink from Apu’s Kwik-E-Mart. In homage to the Squishee, adidas has poured up this playful Superstar, covered in bright colors and featuring special branding like enamel Squishee lace deubres. Simpsons fans will surely want to take a sip of this sneaker.
A Ma Maniére x Air Jordan 3 “Raised by Women”
Release Date: April 28
Release Price: $200 USD
Where to Buy: A Ma Maniére
Why You Should Cop: Though the A Ma Maniére x Air Jordan 3 “Raised by Women” was originally slated to drop last week, The Whitaker Group and founder James Whitner decided to push the release back so the AMM community could spend time reflecting after the verdict in the George Floyd case. The elevated sneaker is inspired by the strength and grace of Black women, and if you weren’t able to get in on the women’s-only raffle that went down previously this is your last shot at a pair.
Nike LeBron 8 “HWC”
Release Date: April 28
Release Price: $200 USD
Where to Buy: Nike SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: Once an ultra-rare PE for LeBron James himself, the Nike LeBron 8 “HWC” is now receiving a retail release. A colorful nod to an earlier chapter of LeBron’s HoF career and a different era of Nike Basketball, the “HWC” is inspired by the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Hardwood Classic uniforms, and funnily enough, debuted after LeBron had left to join the Miami Heat.
Air Jordan 4 “University Blue”
Release Date: April 28
Release Price: $200 USD
Where to Buy: Nike SNKRS and Foot Locker
Why You Should Cop: A nod to Michael Jordan’s alma mater, the Air Jordan 4 “University Blue” mixes signature UNC Tar Heels powder blue tones with classic cement print — a nod to two different times in the GOAT’s storied career. In short, it’s a must-have for any Tar Heels supporter.
Billionaire Boys Club x Reebok Instapump Fury BOOST
Release Date: April 29
Release Price: $200 USD
Where to Buy: Reebok and HBX
Why You Should Cop: Billionaire Boys Club and Reebok looked to the elements for their latest collaborative release, readying two takes on the Instapump Fury BOOST — one inspired by earth, the other water. Each is built from Cordura fabric and features bouncy BOOST cushioning, making for a space-age sneaker with a look fit for the stars. This week’s Reebok drop follows up its debut last week at BBC outposts.
Jordan Zion 1 “Black/White”
Release Date: April 29
Release Price: $120 USD
Where to Buy: Nike and Foot Locker
Why You Should Cop: Normally, launches of new signature models wouldn’t make this list: Weekly Footwear Drops is geared towards casual kicks. However, Zion Williamson is far from normal. So is his new Jordan Zion 1, a high-performance hoop sneaker that combines a full foot Air Strobel with a forefoot Zoom pod and a supportive midfoot band, all wrapped up in a crisp black and white color scheme. If you want to fly high like Zion, here’s your chance.
sacai x Nike Vaporwaffle “Sesame/Blue Void” and “Dark Iris”
Release Date: April 29
Release Price: $180 USD
Where to Buy: Nike SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: The sacai x Nike Vaporwaffle was one of 2020’s biggest shoes, and now it’s making its 2021 debut after months of teasers. Arriving in colorful “Sesame/Blue Void” and “Dark Iris” makeups, this dashing duo puts its doubled-up details on full display and swaps a mesh upper out for nylon in pursuit of repeating its predecessors’ success.
Travis Scott x Air Jordan 6 “British Khaki”
Release Date: April 30
Release Price: $250 USD
Where to Buy: Nike and Oneness
Why You Should Cop: The Travis Scott x Air Jordan 6 “British Khaki” is a celebration of the man they call La Flame’s birthday: he’ll turn 29 on April 30, the same day it releases at retailers and three days after it debuted via raffle on Scott’s webstore. Retaining the utilitarian details of Scott’s first AJ6 collaboration while adding plenty of glowing details and an elegant color schem, it’s safe to say that the “British Khaki” is “lit,” to use Scott’s parlance.
Vivienne Westwood x ASICS GEL-Kayano 27
Release Date: May 1
Release Price: $240 USD
Where to Buy: ASICS and HBX
Why You Should Cop: When designing the Vivienne Westwood x ASICS GEL-Kayano 27, VW creative director Andreas Kronthaler wanted to show the “specialized framework” of the high-performance running shoe. To do this, he dressed it in two vibrant colorways, built it of military-grade ripstop fabric and tastefully applied special branded detailing — all details sure to satiate the appetite of VW x ASICS fans worldwide.
Air Jordan 13 “Red Flint”
Release Date: May 1
Release Price: $190 USD
Where to Buy: Nike SNKRS and Foot Locker
Why You Should Cop: Take the beloved Air Jordan 13 “Flint,” flip its signature blue shade to red and you’ll have the Air Jordan 13 “Red Flint.” A crimson-tinted take on a classic, the “Red Flint” brings a punch of high-heat summertime style to one of the most beloved double-digit Air Jordan models, making for a shoe that’s ready for stoop hangs, cookouts and much more.
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