Kanye West’s “Grammy Worn” Nike Air Yeezy 1s Were Sold For RM7.4 Million

By Ammar Haziq  •  28 Apr 2021 in News

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In what might be the most expensive pre-loved item yet, a pair of Nike Air Yeezy 1s that was worn by Kanye West was sold for USD1.8 million (RM7.4 mil), triple the previous record for sneakers, said Sotheby’s.

The Yeezy 1s surpassed the record held by a pair of Nike Air Jordan 1s that was sold for USD615,000 (RM2.5 mil) at Christie’s auction back in August 2020, according to AFP.

“The sale marks the highest publicly recorded price for a sneaker sale ever,” Sotheby’s said in a statement. It added that the sale marks the first pair of sneakers to top USD1 million.

The black leather, high-top Yeezys were revealed and worn by Kanye West during the 2008 Grammy Awards when he performed his songs ‘Hey Mama’ and ‘Stronger’.

The sneakers West wore during the Grammys were prototypes and part of the collaboration between Nike and West. They did not go on sale until April 2009.

The Yeezy 1s were acquired by RARES, a sneaker investment marketplace that allows users to invest in rare pairs of athletic footwear, where you can buy shares in a pair like you would buy stock in a company.

RARES bought the Nike Air Yeezy 1s through a private sale from sneaker collector Ryan Chang.

Brahm Wachter, head of streetwear and new collectibles at Sotheby’s, said the price “speaks volumes of Kanye’s legacy as one of the most influential clothing and sneaker designers of our time, and the Yeezy franchise he has built which became an industry titan”.

Before Kanye West, Nike had only named shoes in honour of famous athletes. West ended his collaboration with Nike and moved to Adidas, where the Yeezy sneaker line brought in an estimated USD1.7 billion in sales in 2020, according to Forbes.