S otheby’s is pleased to announce the auction of a singular, one-of-a-kind sneaker created in collaboration with adidas and trailblazing porcelain maker Meissen – two pioneers of German design, bringing generations of expertise to one of the world’s most iconic silhouettes.
Handmade in Germany using the finest leather and porcelain, watch here as Meissen pulls back the curtain for a rare, behind-the-scenes look inside the Meissen Factory, as the world’s most skilled porcelain makers create the one-of-a-kind work of art.
Celebrating a shared history of meticulous craftsmanship, heritage and timeless design, the ZX8000 Porcelain features premium adidas leather hand-painted by Meissen, and marvelously hand-made Meissen porcelain overlays. Weighing exactly 950 grams, this inimitable pair of sneakers has been assembled over a six-month period, moving between adidas headquarters in Herzogenaurach, and Meissen, Germany – home to the brand’s porcelain manufactory – throughout the process of its creation.
The ZX8000 Porcelain will be offered in a single-lot, online-only auction which is open for bidding from 7 – 16 December, with an estimate of $1 to $1,000,000. Proceeds from will sale will benefit the Brooklyn Museum to support ongoing programs providing access to the arts for local youth.
At the heart of this unique collaboration is a harmonic coalescence of two icons: the Meissen Krater Vase and the adidas Originals ZX8000 silhouette. First designed in 1856, today and for the very first time, the Krater Vase unites a number of decorative styles and techniques from throughout the manufacturer’s 310-year history. Paying homage to this quintessential piece of Meissen design, the ZX8000 shoe model is adidas’ own modern icon, adorned with 15 of the Vase’s 130 different patterns. Ensuring the pair’s unique place in history, each pattern has been meticulously crafted with the utmost care and precision by four individual painters across three separate Meissen departments. A testament to craftsmanship, art, and unbound creativity, this silhouette is unmatched in its elegance.
The art piece serves as an elevated representation of adidas’ A-ZX series: originally launched in 1984 as a line of high-performance running sneakers, adidas released the ZX8000, followed by the ZX 9000. adidas presented the inaugural A-ZX line in 2008 and 2009. Meissen joins partners such as IRAK and other creative partners who have re-imagined the ZX series through innovatively disruptive celebrations. adidas will also release a commercially available ZX 10,000 shoe inspired by the Meissen craftsmanship and design later this month.
