'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The rarest sneakers in the world are almost unattainable and out of the reach of even the most dedicated sneakerhead or collector. For some collectors, these are the ultimate pairs of sneakers.
The rarest sneakers have become Holy Grails or have gained a nearly mystical quality to them, transcending function to become symbols of status and affluence. In this carefully curated list, we will be delving into the world of rarity as we unveil the top eight rarest sneakers in the world.
From exclusively crafted pairs to sneakers with factory defects, this list contains sneakers with historical significance and high cultural impact that make them desirable to sneakerheads all over the world.
This article reflects the writer's opinion only. We might have missed a few silhouettes, let us know your opinion.
Top 8 rarest sneakers in the world
1) Nike Air Yeezy 1 "Grammy"
This pair of sneakers is a prototype of Kanye West's Nike Air Yeezy 1, which he wore to the 50th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony in 2008 where he performed Stronger and Hey Mama. The shoes were sold for a staggering $1.8 million at the historic Sotheby's auction house in 2021, surpassing the estimated $1 million thereby holding the record for the most expensive publicly recorded sneaker sale.
In 2023, the same pair of kicks was sold for $180,106—a 90 percent drop from the previous price. These kicks are some of the rarest sneakers in the world as the Nike brand and Kanye never put them up for production.
2) DJ Khaled x The Shoe Surgeon Air Jordan 1
Another rare pair of sneakers is the DJ Khaled x The Shoe Surgeon Air Jordan 1, which was produced and gifted to DJ Khaled to celebrate the release of his Grateful album. The shoe was tailored to reflect the pop culture icon and has Khaled's signature WE THE BEST branding.
The pair features a high-top silhouette, white leather upper with brushes of gold, and lace closure. It was packaged with hand-wrapped Belaire champagne bottles with 18k gold emblems and was presented to the superstar during his private press release for the album.
3) Yeezy Boost 700 VX
This pair is one of the coolest Yeezy sneakers out there. Tailored after the Yeezy Boost 700 model, this pair comes with a bold 700 branding on the sides and an attention-grabbing neon green and black colorway.
In 2018, this pair was gifted to Shotti, the manager of 6ix9ine, and features a bold neon green upper with brushes of black and an all-black elevated sole unit. The shoes are very rare and not much information about them is available.
4) ASICS x Afew GEL-Lyte III "Black Koi"
In 2015, ASICS and Afew continued with their 2012 partnership to release a special one-off "Black Koi" version of the GEL-Lyte III. This pair of kicks features a retro runner silhouette, a grey suede upper with red perforated leather paneling a black toe box, and lace closure.
The sneakers were auctioned off on May 23 and the proceeds were given to the Kinderhospiz "Regenbogenland Dusseldorf," a hospital for Dusseldorf-based children.
5) Sneaker Freaker x BespokeIND Air Force 1
Sneaker Freaker collaborated with BespokeIND to release these two limited edition pairs of Nike Air Force sneakers. Both pairs of shoes were crafted from Sherrin rugby footballs, which were used during the Australian Football League.
They feature a low-top silhouette, a red/yellow kangaroo leather upper with brushes of black, a white sole, and white lace closures. The shoes took about 40 hours to be created from start to finish and were not made available commercially, making them one of the rarest sneakers of all time.
6) Air Jordan 1 PE "Millad Mesriani"
These shoes are some of the rarest sneakers in the world and are products of the collaboration between Air Jordan and Millad Mesriani, a brave cancer survivor who was given the opportunity to design his own unique pair of Air Jordan 1.
The pair features a high-top silhouette, a white upper with black overlay panels, an embossed bright blue Swoosh, and brushes on the collar. The sneakers also include a golden Jumpman logo and sword tags, an off-white midsole, a blue outsole, and black lace closures.
7) Ronnie Fieg x ASICS GEL-Lyte III "Mossad"
These are some of the rarest sneakers in the world. They were created when Mossad, a group of Israel's elite task force, ASICS brand, and Ronnie Fieg partnered up to design a GEL-Lyte III that pays homage to the special force. They came up with this pair that features an olive pig suede upper with a touch of white, a slightly elevated black midsole, a bright orange outsole, and lace closure.
8) Backward Swoosh Air Jordan 1 "Shattered Backboard"
When a factory flaw occurs, the product usually has a low value because of quality control issues but sometimes, the value of said flawed product can also be increased beyond belief like when Andrea Canziani got a pair of "Shattered Backboard" Air Jordan online and it came with a backward Swoosh.
The pair of shoes was valued at $146,000, which is 900 times more than what it was originally retailed for.
These are some of the rarest sneakers in the world with exclusive releases and whopping price tags.
Obsessed with Crosswords, Wordle, and other word games? Take our quick survey and let us get to know you better!
