Kanye West’s 2008 Grammys performance is historic for many reasons, one of which was the surprise debut of his Air Yeezy sneakers.
A pair of Nike Air Yeezy 1s worn by rapper Kanye West sold for $1.8 million, triple the previous record for sneakers, Sotheby’s said Monday.
The shoes beat the record held by a pair of Nike Air Jordan 1s which sold for $615,000 in August 2020 at a Christie’s auction.
“The sale marks the highest publicly recorded price for a sneaker sale ever,” Sotheby’s said in a statement. Sotheby’s said it also marks the first pair of sneakers to top $1 million.
The black high-top Yeezys were worn by West during the 2008 Grammy Awards as he performed “Hey Mama” and “Stronger.” The sneakers, which were part of a collaboration between Nike and West, were prototypes, with the resulting model not going on sale until April 2009.
The shoes were acquired by RARES, a sneaker investment marketplace that allows users to invest in rare pairs of athletic footwear. (Guardian)