Kanye West's Nike Air Yeezy 1 sneakers set to sell for $1 million at auction

The shoes are part of a private sale, which means neither the final price nor the buyer details are guaranteed to be released

(FILES) In this file photo taken on November 6, 2019 US rapper Kanye West attends the WSJ Magazine 2019 Innovator Awards at MOMA in New York City.  A pair of Kanye West's first Nike Yeezy sneakers, which he debuted on stage at the Grammys, are to be sold, with Sotheby's predicting the shoes could fetch in excess of $1 million. The Nike Air Yeezy 1 sneakers are part of a private sale -- which means neither the final price nor the buyer will be released unless the individual comes forward.The sneakers, which are being sold by shoe collector Ryan Chang, will be on display in Hong Kong from April 16, 2021.
 / AFP / Angela Weiss

A pair of Kanye West's first Nike Yeezy sneakers, which he debuted on stage at the Grammys, are to be sold, with Sotheby's predicting the shoes could fetch in excess of $1 million.

The Nike Air Yeezy 1 sneakers are part of a private sale, which means neither the final price nor the buyer will be released unless the individual comes forward.

The sneaker range were the first to be launched by West's Yeezy brand, and caused a fashion furore when he wore them during a 2008 Grammy Awards performance.

(FILES) In this file photo musician Kanye West performs onstage during the 50th annual Grammy awards held at the Staples Center on February 10, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.   A pair of Kanye West's first Nike Yeezy sneakers, which he debuted on stage at the Grammys, are to be sold, with Sotheby's predicting the shoes could fetch in excess of $1 million. The Nike Air Yeezy 1 sneakers are part of a private sale -- which means neither the final price nor the buyer will be released unless the individual comes forward.The sneaker range were the first to be launched by West's Yeezy brand, and caused a fashion furore when he wore them during a 2008 Grammys performance. The sneakers, which are being sold by shoe collector Ryan Chang, will be on display in Hong Kong from April 16, 2021.
 / AFP / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Kevin Winter
Kanye West performs onstage during the 50th annual Grammy Awards on February 10, 2008. Getty Images

Previously, Nike had only worked with athletes and West's shoe was a significant breakout for the US brand.

The Air Yeezy 1 launched in a limited series in 2009, followed by the Air Yeezy 2 in 2012.

The following year, West ended his partnership with Nike, deeming his share of the revenue insufficient, going on to work with Adidas in 2014.

That partnership was a huge commercial success, generating almost $1.7 billion in revenue in 2020, according to an internal UBS bank note cited by Bloomberg.

Although not the sole designer of the shoe, West heavily influenced the look.

The sneakers, which are being sold by shoe collector Ryan Chang, will be on display in Hong Kong from Friday.

In August 2020, a pair of Nike Air Jordan 1 were sold for $615,000 by Christie's.