A pair of prototype sneakers worn by Kanye West when he performed "Hey Mama" and "Stronger" at the 2008 Grammy Awards fetched a record-breaking $1.8 million.
The "Grammy Worn” Nike Air Yeezy 1 was purchased in private sale by sneaker investment marketplace RARES, Sotheby's reportedly said in a statement on Monday.
A pair of prototype Nike Air Yeezy 1s that Kanye West wore to the 2008 Grammy Awards have sold for $1.8 MILLION.
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) April 26, 2021
They are officially the most expensive pair of sneakers ever sold. pic.twitter.com/NKoziN4vtj
Not only does the sale mark the highest sum paid for a pair of sneakers, it is also the first sale to exceed the $1 million mark. The previous record of $615,000 was set in 2020 with the sale of a pair of 1985 Jordan 1s that Michael Jordan wore when he shattered a backboard in Italy during a pre-season game.
The size 12 shoes were designed by West and Mark Smith, and feature a Yeezy forefoot strap and 'Y' lacelocks.
“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, according to the Associated Press.
A pair of prototype Nikes worn by Kanye West during his performances of “Hey Mama” and “Stronger” at the Grammy Awards in 2008 has shattered the record for a pair of sneakers ever sold. https://t.co/xujBqKVU4y
— NBCBLK (@NBCBLK) April 26, 2021
“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,” added Watcher.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
