Top Most Expensive Sneakers
Do you ever stop to think about how much you spend on footwear? The average person will buy at least three pairs of shoes every year. However, some people will buy quite a lot more. If you’re like most people on the planet, you have at least one pair of sneakers in your shoe collection. Since the first sneakers appeared over a century ago, they have become the most popular type of footwear ever. The original sneakers were something only poor people wore. After all, they were just a pair of unsightly rubber soles with a hideous fabric upper. Move forward several decades and sneakers are just as much about function and purpose, as they are about fashion.
Today there are sneakers for all types of wear. There are sneakers for every sport you can imagine with specific features to offer the athlete comfort and give them a bit of an edge, or you may just automatically reach for your favorite pair as you head out the door to meet up with your friends.
Whether you buy your sneakers for sport or every day wear, you most likely put a lot of thought into your purchase. You look at things like design, function, colors and other features. Then we look at the price. As much as we love to look at the other features of the sneakers we love, our final decision usually comes down to the price. Good quality sneakers aren’t cheap but how much would you be willing to pay for a pair of sneakers? While you’re thinking of your maximum price, let’s have a look at some of the most expensive sneakers in the world … just for fun.
Nike Mag 2016 – Auto Lacing System: Price $26,000
Back in the 1980’s there was a crazy fascination about what we’d be wearing when we entered the new millennium. Many designers were obsessed with the image of people running around in space-style suits and that included footwear like these Nike Mags. Fast forward a few decades and you can now buy this pair of sneakers. These sneakers are powered by battery with a motor and are auto lacing with lights. They definitely look like they belong in a sci-fi movie and come with a pretty impressive price tag due to their rarity and technological features.
Buscemi 100 MM Diamond: Price $132,000
Sometimes the exorbitant price of a pair of sneakers has nothing to do with the sneaker itself, but has everything to do with what is added to the sneakers. Check out this pair of Buscemi sneakers. The makers at Buscemi embellished this pair of sneakers with 11.5 carats of diamonds which they set in 18 karat gold. Yep, that’s one way to make an ordinary pair of sneakers extraordinary.
Nike Air Yeezy 1: Price $50,000
The original price of these sneakers back in 2008 was $75,000 when Kanye West teamed up with Nike and first wore them at the Grammy Awards. With that one appearance on the world stage, these sneakers became the stuff legends are made of. You too, can own this little piece of history in the making, but they definitely won’t come cheap.
Air Jordan 11 ‘Jetter’: Price $40,000
If you want to inflate the price of a pair of sneakers, make sure they are an exclusive, limited edition like this pair of Air Jordan 11 ‘Jetter’ sneakers. In 2017, only five of these sneakers were made to commemorate Derek Jeter’s retirement at Yankee Stadium. These sneakers are adorned in navy suede and were auctioned off. Apparently, 3 of the 5 sneakers made are locked up in consignment stores in the US. To own a pair of these limited edition sneakers, you would need to fork over between $30,000 and $50,000.
Adidas NMD_R1 Friends & Family: Price $10,000
Not to be outdone by their competitors, Adidas also joined the ranks of the five figure price tags of sneakers. The NMD range has enjoyed a particularly following and have been selling out quite successfully with their super colorful range. Enter the ‘Pitch Black’ range which fetched prices in the $5,000 range. Team that up with the popularity of ‘Friends and Family’ and the NMD demanded a price of $10,000. They feature a similar colorway to OG NMD and were given to the design team at the helm of nomad. However, if you aren’t part of the nomad team, expect to pay $10,000 to add these sneakers to your collection.
DJ Khaled x Air Jordan 3 ‘Another One’: Price $28,000
In 2017, DJ Khaled teamed up with the Jordan Brand and in 2018 released two new Air Jordan 3’s. These sneakers feature the iconic Nike Swoosh team’s elephant print on a royal blue background. DJ Khaled is no stranger to excess so these sneakers will set you back a whopping $28,000. If you want a slightly less expensive version of these sneakers you can invest in a pair of suede ‘Father of Asahd’ Air Jordan 3’s for around $25,000.
Michael Jordan’s Converse Fastbreak Game Sneakers: Price $190,373
We end our list with a pair of sneakers that every collector would sell his first born to own. These sneakers are the actual game worn sneakers of His Airness himself. These sneakers are back from Michael Jordan’s rookie days in the NBA in 1984. The same year he played and won gold with Team USA in the LA Olympics. Back then Michael Jordan’s favorite game sneakers were Converse who sponsored him during his college days. His long term relationship with Nike and the Swoosh would come later when two of the most recognizable names in sport joined forces with a brand that is just as popular as it was back in Michael Jordan’s most successful period.
In 2017, this pair of Converse Fastbreak Game Sneakers, which were worn on court at the 1984 Olympics came up for auction. They were expected to fetch a price of around $100,000. When the auctioneer finally slammed down the mallet ending the auction, the final price was a whopping $190,373. This is the highest ever price paid for a pair of worn game sneakers. Not surprising, considering Michael Jordan is a living legend and possibly the greatest basketball player of all time.
So now that we’ve had a look at some of the most expensive sneakers in the world, one thing is clear. Good quality sneakers are going to set you back a pretty penny. But if you want the price to reach astronomical heights you’re going to have to add some pretty flashy feature or a world renowned celebrity to the marketing campaign.
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