But this once again opened the floodgates for the decade-plus since of high-end Nikes with big price tags. At $225 a pop, they were way more expensive than anything else in Nike’s line-up. You wanted a pair? You waited in line, perhaps for days, outside your local Nike retailer and prayed to the sneaker gods for mercy. Thinking back to the release of the Air Yeezy 1 triggers some heavy nostalgia, given the lack of apps, bots, and other nonsense that surrounded it. The Air Yeezy 1, which was co-designed by Nike’s Mark Smith, was defined by its ultra-high top design, Jordan III-esque sole unit, and strap across the toe box-a feature West would return to numerous times both at Nike and later adidas. As such, the release of the Yeezy 1 would change the industry forever.
See, at the time, Nike had never created a signature sneaker for a non-athlete. It’s easy to forget in today’s world of Off-White and Fear of God Nikes, but when we first saw samples of the Nike Air Yeezy 1 back in 2008, they were an enormous deal. (Pictured Above: Kanye West x Louis Vuitton “Don”) In hindsight these shoes were likely the most wearable of the bunch. West’s take on the iconic boat shoe featured the same rear spoiler design as well as added tassel laces. These kicks, named after West’s longtime barber Ibn Jasper, boasted two straps across the toe and ankle that would define Kanye West’s sneaker designs for years to come. And in their all-red colorway they made the biggest splash-both in public and on the runway.Īn even more radical design that was a high-top with a major contrasting color scheme with a pink sole and tan/brown upper. In addition, they had an extended length tongue, and were crafted of the finest Louis Vuitton leather. These sci-fi inspired shoes featured a rear spoiler that would make a Porsche ducktail jealous. These kicks, which retailed from $840-$1,170, set the stage for a decade of high-fashion sneakers and designers collaborating with musicians on luxury streetwear.
The color schemes ranged from minimal (white) to eclectic (tan, brown, pink), while the standouts-a red pair of the “Dons”-would foreshadow the Red Octobers to come. Hudson, these sneakers were inspired by ‘80s sci-fi movies and seemed to-intentionally or not-mirror West’s spoiler-like hairstyle of the time. Named after West’s longtime friends, including fellow creative Don “Don C” Crawley, his barber Ibn Jasper, and his then-G.O.O.D. (In fact, this was the same week that the legendary “South Park” photo would be snapped, in which West is standing beside friends like Fonzworth Bentley and Virgil Abloh, wearing a pair of the “Don” sneakers.) This collection was the first time the world would see a Kanye West-designed sneaker, and they made their debut at Paris Fashion Week in early 2009.
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