A pair of exclusive, custom-made Nike trainers illustrated with images of Dubai went on sale on the eBay auction website but proved too costly, with no buyers prepared to foot the bill. The shoes were given to a small group of European Nike employees and have not been offered for sale to the public. But one member of staff who received the gift saw a chance for a fast buck and posted them on eBay for a staggering US$1,299 plus postage.
Sadly, the price tag was too high and the auction ended at around 6pm on Friday with nobody prepared to pay the asking price. The employees were awarded the trainers as part of an internal contest held in Dubai last month, according to Sahar el Guindy, Nike's Middle East marketing manager. Dubbed the Nike Dunk Hi Dubai, the shoes feature the Palm Jumeirah, camels and other symbols printed in gold graphics on the trainers' black leather panels. The shoes are black, white and blue, with a glossy gold Nike swoosh along the side.
It is not unusual for Nike to distribute a small number of exclusive edition trainers as corporate gifts to its employees, affiliates and celebrities, said Bradley Carbone, lifestyle editor for Complex magazine, a men's shopping guide in New York.