Michael Jordan, NBA legend as an athlete with 6 NBA championships, 6 Finals MVPs, 5 league MVPs and 2 Olympic gold medals and many other successes and his partnership with Nike has somehow given rise to a passion for collecting of sneakers which have reached staggering figures, now fashion is not slowing down and is expanding to involve thousands of collectors of objects worn on the feet in this case. We could thus assume that Michael Jordan started it all with his iconic Air Jordans. That's not entirely wrong: the brand was the beginning of sneaker culture's rise into the stratosphere.
Today, research shows that sneaker reselling has become a $6 billion industry globally. The most sought-after limited edition shoes command six-figure prices on the resale market and can be found at auction bought actually worn, but many will resell those shoes online for thousands of dollars.
But it's clear that sneaker reselling and shoes' place in modern pop culture will continue to transform. After all, imagine telling someone in the 80s that a pair of basketball shoes could be sold by a fine art auctioneer like Sotheby's for more than a million dollars.
A fair question at this point would be: what do the shoe brands themselves gain?
Nike certainly on the podium of the most sought after pieces, but not only that. On auction at Sotheby's in Paris from 14th to 26th March you can find them with estimates starting from 85 thousand euros up to 5 thousand such as:
NIKE, NIKE DUNK HIGH SUPREME, US 9 – LEATHER, RUBBER, COTTON – 2009, estimate 85-95 thousand euros
The offered Nike Dunk High FLOM Livestrong White sample is a true unicorn that embodies the creative vision of Brooklyn native Leonard Hilton McGurr, widely known as Futura. As one of the pioneering figures of New York City's graffiti movement, Futura's innovative approach to street art has left an indelible mark on contemporary culture. Known for his abstract fusion of text and image, Futura's influence extends beyond the realm of graffiti, encompassing collaborations with icons like The Clash and contributions to esteemed institutions like the Musée de Vire and the Museum of the City of New York. A frequent Nike collaborator, one of Futura's many hits was the Nike SB Dunk High FLOM, a legendary sneaker featuring a tile pattern made from various denominations of printed money. With presumably less than 25 pairs in existence, mostly distributed among friends and family, these sneakers have achieved a mythical status, becoming highly coveted by collectors. The pair's exclusivity has intensified demand, far outstripping the limited supply. As part of the Livestrong Greatest Hits Pack released in July 2009, Nike revisited some of its most sought-after models in support of the Livestrong Foundation. Among these revered collaborative releases was a new take on the Nike SB Dunk FLOM, featuring an iconic new Livestrong black and yellow color scheme. This sample offers a unique twist to the tri-collaborative pair, boasting a crisp white leather upper adorned with the signature money print pattern reminiscent of the original FLOM models. Embellished with artist motifs on the side heel tabs, Futura branding and signature adorn the shoes, with “FL” for Futura Laboratories on the right shoe and Futura's signature in yellow on the left. Further adding to its appeal, the tongue label and insoles bear Livestrong branding. This alternative colorway remains highly sought after not only for its extreme rarity but also for its homage to sneaker and graffiti culture, making it a coveted piece by enthusiasts around the world.
NIKE, NIKE MAG 'BACK TO THE FUTURE', US 11 – LEATHER, RUBBER, COTTON, MESH, PLASTIC, ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS – 2015, estimate 50-70 thousand euros
The Nike MAG, first introduced in the 1989 sequel, Back to the Future II, was immediately one of the most coveted, yet unavailable, shoes in history. In 2011, Nike has finally released 1.500 pairs to the public to benefit the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, which marked one of Nike's most popular releases, raising $10 million in 10 days. This pair, part of the coveted 2016 release, was limited to just 89 pairs worldwide. In the film, Marty travels in time to the year 2015 and famously wears his Nike MAGs equipped with “power laces,” which tie themselves. That moment, and subsequent scenes from the film, have become iconic in footwear history, inspiring numerous Nike releases, including Nike MAG (2011), Nike MAG (2016), Nike Adapt Mag (2019), among others. This 2016 Nike MAG notably features the self-tying “power laces” that Nike has branded with “Adaptive Fit” technology, as prophesied in the 1989 film. An individually responsive system, “Adaptive Fit” detects the wearer and tightens and loosens sneakers based on your foot, bringing the design elements of “Back to the Future” to life.
NIKE, NIKE SB DUNK LOW PRO, US 10 – LEATHER, CANVAS, RUBBER, COTTON – 2003, estimate 50/60 thousand euros
Perhaps the most popular and recognizable Nike SB Dunk in existence, Nike's SB Dunk Low Paris Bernard Buffet is one of the most visually appealing models produced by the brand. Approximately 200 pairs of the regular version were made for Nike's White Dunk traveling exhibition in 2003, an exhibition that featured several extremely limited SB Dunks created for the tour's host cities. This pair in “Rope/Special Cardinal” colors (using tan suede) represents Paris and features canvas overlays containing the artwork of French painter Bernard Buffet. Born in Paris in 1928, Bernard Buffet was a prolific French expressionist painter, best remembered as a bold rejector of abstract painting and part of the anti-abstraction group L'homme Témoin, which fought for the importance of representational art in a period when abstraction was a key trend throughout the art world. His approximately 8.000 works cover a wide range of art historical concepts, including death, sex, politics and pop culture. Mr. Buffet was inducted into the Académie des Beaux-Arts in 1974. The Nike SB Dunk Low Paris Bernard Buffet is one of the most coveted models by collectors around the world. The Nike SB Dunk made its formal debut in 2002, when Nike officially reclaimed the popular Dunk basketball sneaker originally designed in the '80s with updates suited to the skateboarding community. The man behind it all, former Nike executive Sandy Bodecker, is credited with building one of Nike's most beloved subdivisions in the early 2000s with the Nike SB line.
Nike SB Dunk Low Pro 'Freddy Krueger' Salesman Sample | US 9 – 15/20 thousand euros
The Nike SB Dunk Low Pro “Freddy Krueger” is one of the most iconic and well-known SB Dunks that was never released to the public. Although the model was scheduled to launch in 2007, together with the Nike Dunk High “Jason Voorhees” and the Nike Air Trainer One “Dawn of the Dead” as the “Horror Pack”, they were never officially released on the market. In this model, Nike paid homage to the crucial villain of the Nightmare on Elm Street film series. Notable details include Freddy Krueger's striped sweater motif across the entire base of the sneaker with blood splatters on the beige leather overlays. The Swoosh itself pays homage to the blades of Freddy's leather gloves. The sneaker itself was never released to the public due to alleged legal issues, and as such would become one of the most legendary stories in Nike SB history. Once the project was shelved, Nike is said to have decided to destroy the sneakers. Only a small number of Dunks have made it into the hands of dedicated collectors. This is one of the rarest Nike Dunk SBs in the world.
NIKE, NIKE AIR JORDAN 1 RETRO HIGH, US 11 – LEATHER, COTTON, RUBBER – 1985 – estimate 4/6 thousand euros
The Nike “Air Jordan” is one of the most iconic designs in the history of both streetwear and basketball, and is a key part of the origin of the Air Jordan brand for Nike. Designed by Peter Moore, Michael Jordan wore the Air Jordan 1 in 1984 and 1985, as well as modified versions in 1986 (after Michael suffered a broken foot). In 1984, Nike gave Michael Jordan his own line of shoes and clothing, which was crucial to Michael agreeing to sign with Nike. It was the first time the brand had done something like this, and it paved the way for many of the player collaborations we see now. The term “Air Jordan” was coined by Michael Jordan's agent, David Falk. David apparently came up with the name because Nike shoes had air in the soles and because, of course, Michael Jordan played basketball in the air. As for the shoe itself, the original Air Jordan 1 was so popular and successful that Nike continued to release new Air Jordans every season. This tradition has continued even after Michael's retirement, and Nike is currently featured on the Air Jordan 38. Since its release, Air Jordans have always represented the pinnacle of sneaker design. The shoes are unmatched in quality, craftsmanship, materials, innovation, performance and, of course, style.
