T o celebrate the 50th anniversary of Nike, Sotheby’s presents fifty – a curated streetwear auction comprising more than 100 examples of some of the iconic brand’s most sought-after collaborations, unreleased and rare samples, prototypes, and limited-edition accessories. The retrospective pays tribute to the legacy and evolution of the brand, from its inception as a running company to its expansion as a multi-sport collective that has transcended into a consumer culture of its own identity.
True to the genesis of Nike’s heritage, the sale spans key moments core to the brand, from an early pair of handmade racing shoes by Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman, the sneakers that launched the brand to fame - the ultra-rare and iconic 1972 Nike Moon Shoes, to a pair of original 1985 ‘Player Sample’ Air Jordans cut to Michael Jordan’s specifications and intended for his use, and today’s most coveted shoe, the exquisitely handcrafted Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1 by Virgil Abloh.
Victor Cruz’s Picks
Sotheby’s is honored to collaborate with sneaker aficionado and NFL Super Bowl Champion, Victor Cruz, for the anniversary auction. A past Nike collaborator (Air Trainer Cruz), the passionate collector – who himself boasts a sizable collection north of 300 pairs – has handpicked a personal edit of his favorite sneakers distinguished not only by their rarity, but the unique stories behind them.
“I'm honored to partner with Sotheby's and commemorate Nike's 50th anniversary as a true industry leader and cultural movement that's played a starring role in my career. Sneakers are a personal means for expression, and my selection of some of the key pairs in the auction represent some of the themes I find most interesting in collecting. Sneakers are culturally relevant pieces of art and timestamps that bring us back to different moments and memories in our lives.”
“For Virgil to create his interpretation of such a classic shoe and for it to then be as iconic and coveted as the original, is pretty special – and again just shows how much he was able to accomplish during his lifetime. The Virgil Air Jordan 1s are one of the most iconic shoes possibly of all time and especially with this pair to have his signature on it – I couldn’t not pick it!”
The pair features Abloh’s signature and signed year on the medial side of the right sneaker. “Double X” in Abloh’s handwriting is featured on the lateral side of the right sneaker and the original box. The lot is accompanied by a letter from James Spence Authentication in regards to the signatures.
The pre-eminent and only “Jordan” sneaker of the 2017 Off White x Nike “The Ten” Collection, the Air Jordan 1 Retro High Off-White ‘Chicago’ pays homage to the iconic Air Jordan 1. The extremely sought-after sneaker is dressed in a Chicago Bulls-inspired red, white, and black color scheme. Special design elements include a unique Nike Swoosh logo, “AIR” printed on the midsole, and Off-White branding on the medial side. Known for his deconstructed style, Virgil Abloh has also added unique details such as Off-White’s signature red zip-tie, branding on the laces, and “85,” the year that the Air Jordan 1 debuted, on the inner ankle flap.
The Air Jordan 1 Retro High Off-White ‘Chicago’ was released as part of ‘The Ten’ — a collaborative capsule from Virgil Abloh and Nike exploring ten classic silhouettes through two distinct themes: ‘Revealing,’ featuring hand-cut and reconstructed builds, and ‘Ghosting,’ characterized by translucent uppers.
Nike gave true creative freedom to a collaborator, and through Virgil’s incredible ability to convey a handmade quality to each pair, these sneakers were an instant success. Today, “The Ten” serves as a blueprint to understand not just footwear design, but all design and has left a lasting impression on sneaker culture.
Read Less“The storyline of Virgil Abloh – a black man being a Creative Director for a brand like Louis Vuitton – is so special. Anytime I get a chance to celebrate that and put his achievement to the forefront, I’m going to do so.”
The Nike Air Force 1, celebrating its 40th year, was designed in 1982 and is one of the most successful and iconic shoes ever created. On the occasion of the Louis Vuitton Men’s Spring-Summer 2022 runway show, Virgil Abloh collaborated with Nike to design 47 pairs of bespoke Air Force 1s, fusing the trainer’s classic codes with the insignia and materials of Louis Vuitton in homage to the hip-hop culture that shaped him.
The sneakers were made with materials employed in Abloh’s Louis Vuitton men’s collections, and styled with his signature quotation marks, echoing the written graphics Abloh often used in his work. The individual styles designed for the show were made by Louis Vuitton in its shoe manufacture in Fiesso d’Artico, Italy.
The sneakers (limited to 200 total pairs), entirely made in leather, were embellished with Louis Vuitton’s emblematic Monogram and Damier patterns with natural cowhide piping. Each pair came with a Louis Vuitton pilot case, also from the Louis Vuitton Spring-Summer 2022 collection, which was reinterpreted from the Maison’s archive in an iconic orange colorway and made of Monogram Taurillon Leather. The pilot case features Louis Vuitton’s classic S lock closure in white metal finishing and includes a luggage tag in the shape of the Nike Swoosh. The pilot case adapts to every shoe size, based on an internal cushion system. It was sold exclusively with this pair.
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Founded in 2003, Fragment Design was created by multidisciplinary Japanese artist and the so-called “Godfather of Streetwear”, Hiroshi Fujiwara. Since its establishment, the brand has solidified itself as one of the premier brands within lifestyle, sneakers, and streetwear, collaborating with Bulgari, Nike, Louis Vuitton, and many more.
Having worked with Nike since the early 2000s, most notably on the HTM Line, Fujiwara introduced Japanese aesthetic and design principles to Nike with Mark Parker and Tinker Hatfield, ultimately creating some of the most premium Nike sneakers of the era. The Nike Air Jordan 1 High Fragment marks the first collaboration between Fragment Design and Jordan Brand.
This Friends and Family pair is finished with a unique, larger, and black-outlined Fragment Design logo at the heel, whereas the wider release features no outline and a smaller logo.
The Nike Air Jordan 1 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 Air Jordan 1s in 1984 and 1985, as well as modified versions in 1986 (after a broken foot Michael endured).
In 1984, Nike gave Michael Jordan his own signature line of shoes and clothes, which was pivotal in Michael agreeing to sign with Nike. It was the first time the brand did anything like this, and it paved the way for many of the player collaborations we now see. 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.
In terms of the shoe itself, the original Air Jordan 1s were so popular and successful that Nike continued to make new signature Air Jordans each season. This tradition continued beyond Michael’s retirement, and Nike is currently on the Air Jordan 37. From the day it launched, Air Jordans have always represented the pinnacle of sneaker design. The shoes are unmatched when it comes to quality, craftsmanship, materials, innovation, performance, and of course style.
Read Less“Nipsey had a huge influence on me, not just for his music, but for his ideas and the way he went about his life and what he represented. He was always trying to bring his community forward, so I wanted to pay tribute to him by having this shoe as part of the auction.”
The present lot is a rare promo sample of the Air Jordan 3 made in commemoration of ‘Victory Lap’, Nipsey Hussle’s first studio album released in 2018. Reminiscent of the Air Jordan 3 Black Cement, the pair features a predominantly black leather upper, the iconic Air Jordan 3 elephant print, and Nike Air branding on the heel.
Victory Lap ‘VL’ branding can be found near the medial collar of each shoe, and the pair also features a translucent outsole with red ‘VL’ branding.
In 2007 Nike created the ‘What The Dunk’, by combining design elements from 31 separate Nike SB Dunks. The design goal was to create the “Dunk to end all Dunks.”
Adapting this concept, in 2015, Nike created the ‘What the Doernbecher’, which features design elements from thirteen different Doernbecher series designs.
The Doernbecher series is an annual benefit of the OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland Oregon. Each year, Nike enlists Doernbecher patients to design their own Nike and Jordan Brand sneakers.
In the program's 11th year, the Nike ‘What the Doernbecher' was created. With only eleven pairs of the ‘What the Doernbecher’ released to the public, this particular pair is a one of one, in this size 11, as stated on the box.
Sold exclusively via eBay auction, each pair also included a box made from recycled skateboard decks. The interior of the box lid, features the names of the thirteen children who designed the previous Nike Doernbechers, that inspired this pair.
Read LessAdditional Highlights
The Nike Air Jordan 1 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 Air Jordan 1s in 1984 and 1985, as well as modified versions in 1986 (after a broken foot Michael endured).
In 1984, Nike gave Michael Jordan his own signature line of shoes and clothes, which was pivotal in Michael agreeing to sign with Nike. It was the first time the brand did anything like this, and it paved the way for many of the player collaborations we now see. 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.
In terms of the shoe itself, the original Air Jordan 1s were so popular and successful that Nike continued to make new signature Air Jordans each season. This tradition continued beyond Michael’s retirement, and Nike is currently on the Air Jordan 37. From the day it launched, Air Jordans have always represented the pinnacle of sneaker design. The shoes are unmatched when it comes to quality, craftsmanship, materials, innovation, performance, and of course style.
The coding on the inside of the present shoes states "850204 TYPS,” referring to the date of production: made in 1985 between the months of February (02) and April (04). TYPS stands for “Tong Yang Player Sample” meaning that the shoes are ‘Player Samples,’ produced from the 'Tong Yang' factory.
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Bill Bowerman represents the heart of Nike. One of Nike’s founders, Bowerman was one of the greatest innovators of his generation in regards to shoe ingenuity and design. Obsessed with weight and performance, Bowerman would build shoes for his University of Oregon runners from scratch, often using an assemblage of raw materials. This pair represents an important chapter in the origin of one of America’s greatest companies, Nike.
Handmade by Bowerman in the early 1960s, this black and blue mismatched pair features the original white laces along with four long metal spikes on each sole as they were designed for use on a cinder track.
This particular pair was produced by Bowerman specifically for Clayton Steinke, who ran cross-country and track for the Oregon Ducks from 1960-64. Bowerman gave these spikes to Steinke in October 1960 during his freshman year at Oregon. At that time, Bowerman preferred to test his experimental handmade spikes on underclassmen.
In track, Steinke competed in mid-distance and steeplechase. In 1962, Steinke and the Oregon track team won the school’s first NCAA Track and Field Championship. Steinke garnered All-American honors in steeplechase. Later that year, Steinke traveled as an alternate for Oregon’s famed 4 x 1-mile relay team that competed in a meet against the New Zealand national team.
Read LessThe Nike “Moon Shoe” is one of the most significant artifacts in the history of the multi-billion dollar athletic brand. One of only a handful of pairs known to exist, this Moon Shoe is a handmade running shoe designed by Nike co-founder and legendary Oregon University track coach Bill Bowerman. As the famous story goes, Bowerman was first inspired to create the innovative waffle sole traction pattern found on the brand’s early running shoes by tinkering with his wife’s waffle iron, pouring rubber into the mold to create the first prototype of the sole. The finished design of the traction pattern created better grip and cushion than most running shoes of the time, and the waffle sole was Nike’s first major innovation as a brand. The “Moon Shoe” got its name from the resemblance between the impression that the waffle pattern left in dirt and the famous tracks left on the moon by astronauts in 1969.
This pair was hand-cobbled by one of Nike’s first employees, Geoff Hollister. Due to the handmade quality, each pair is irregular and one of a kind. The waffle outsoles are in two pieces because Nike did not have the technology to make one piece soles at the time. The soles also have markings visible around the perimeter of the rubber from shears that were used to hand cut them into shape. The upper features a white nylon construction with black Swooshes hand sewn on each side with fishing line. The pair does not say “Nike” anywhere inside or outside the design, with only the side Swooshes designating them as a Nike shoe.
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