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Rare Nike trainers break world auction record by selling for £350,000

Bidder buys all 100 lots in the auction of rare trainers

Wednesday 24 July 2019 17:26 BST

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Rare Nike running trainers break world auction record

A pair of rare Nike trainers have broken a new world auction record after selling for almost half a million dollars.

A spokesperson from the Sotheby's and Stadium Goods' auction announced that the 1972 Nike Waffle Racing Flat “Moon Shoe” had been sold for $437,500 (£351,740). The trainers surpassed their original pre-sale price of $160,000 dollars (£128,630).

The previous world auction record for a pair of trainers – signed Converse worn by Michael Jordan in the 1984 Olympic basketball final – was set in 2017 for $190,373 dollars (£153,050).

Miles Nadal, the winner of the Nike shoes, also purchased the other 99 lots in the auction of a variety of rare trainers. Nadal is the founder and executive chairman of Peerage Capital, an American private investment firm.

Nadal had offered to buy all 100 lots, but the auction house and Stadium Goods wanted keep the pair of Nike racing trainers available for public auction.

Best vegan shoes for women

Show all 11

1/11Best vegan shoes for women

Best vegan shoes for women

Dr Martens vegan 1461 Oxford brush: £115, Dr Martens

Have you lusted after this classic three-eye shoe with its trademark yellow stitching for years while bemoaning its lack of vegan credentials? Well, good things come to those who wait. The iconic 1461s from heritage Midlands brand Dr Martens are now also being made in a super shiny synthetic material that mimics patent leather, so that everybody – men included! – can bring a touch of rockstar to their footwear. The inner sole is worth paying that bit for – it’s air-cushioned and resistant to oil, meaning no slipping and blisters. We were relieved to find that these didn’t need to be "broken in" like other Docs do – they were comfy from the first day of wearing them and looked slick with trousers/leggings or a grungy dress. Colour-wise, you can choose from black, the cherry red (seen here), silver chrome or rose gold chrome.

Best vegan shoes for women

Po-Zu squadron low-cut sneakers: £45, Po-Zu

Firstly, yes, these are Star Wars-themed trainers (think rubber Rebel Alliance badge, Star Wars logo and galactic silver colouring), so if you’re not a fan of the movie space saga, they might not be for you. If you or a friend are, however, they’ll make the perfect affordable footwear gift. They slip on and are fantastically comfortable from the off. The outer is made with linen and Pinatex (a fibre made from pineapple leaves), the lining is organic cotton canvas and the insole is made from cork and natural latex, which moulds to your natural foot shape. Islington-born brand Po-Zu (meaning "to pause" in Japanese) is not entirely vegan, but much of its offering is, and all shoes are ethically produced in Portuguese or Sri Lankan factories using sustainable materials.

Best vegan shoes for women

Will’s Vegan Store Oxford brogues: £78, Will’s Vegan Store

For the height of vegan sophistication, no-one does brogues better than Will’s Vegan Store in London. Made with a kind of Italian faux leather created from plants and organic bio oil, they are fully decked out with the traditional brogue trim. Our top colour pick is the tan – it shows up all that intricate stitching beautifully – but they come in black or dark brown too. The durable rubber soles offer strong grip, the comfy insoles are made with recycled rubber and there’s a small block heel for added suave. Sizing is regular though if you normally look for halves, go one up. The Vegan Society has given this entire range the green light, and Will’s is a carbon neutral company that only uses plastic-free packaging, making this the ultimate in ethical browsing.

Best vegan shoes for women

Merrell all out crush 2 gore-tex: £120, Merrell

For the more active vegans among you, trustworthy trainers are a must-buy. US brand Merrell often pops up as a go-to brand for its small but reliable range of versatile shoes and after trying a pair for ourselves, we can see why. This lightweight pair of colourful kicks are built from Gore-Tex, a synthetic material, which is breathable and waterproof so will protect your feet in all running conditions. The heel is lined with lycra to help prevent rubbing and the sole boasts an impressive grip, even through slippy mud. In fact, these were designed especially with Tough Mudder-type challenges in mind. Expect your arches to feel well-supported, with plenty of room for broader feet. They come in black too, but why go boring when you can go jazzy with these bright blue, pink and coral dazzlers? Half sizes are also available.

Best vegan shoes for women

Birkenstock mayari vegan birko-flor: £60, Birkenstock

What we love about Birks is that you’re offered the choice between regular width (on the wide side) and narrow width, meaning everyone can find a pair of sandals to live in next summer, regardless of the shape of their feet. These have criss-crossed straps that are more slender than the classic design you might be used to. They’re made from "Birko-Flor" – essentially PVC with a breathable fleece-like lining. Its look mimics leather’s two-tone effect and feels just as gentle on the skin while being easier to clean. It’s win-win. The footbed, meanwhile, is the German footwear giant’s standard cork with arch support, only it’s lined with microfibre, not suede. The sole is made from an elastic material with excellent cushioning. Our pick of the three colours is the cream (pair it with any summer dress imaginable), but we might have to splurge on the dark grey and rose too. Here’s hoping they offer a vegan version of the yellow ones soon.

Best vegan shoes for women

Collection & Co porto black lace up brogues: £120, Collection & Co

For something that bit edgier, check out the new, fully vegan, Bristol-based footwear brand Collection & Co, who are doing all sorts of cool things with waste materials in an effort to be more sustainable. We fell in love with these lace-up brogues, which come in jet black or rusty orange. They’re made in small, ethically-run Portuguese factories from soft faux leather, with faux suede side panels to add textural interest to the design. They slip on and off and have padded insoles for extra comfort, while rubber soles will withstand a pounding of the streets on a shopping mission. The 4cm block heels add a glam bit of height, although shoe lovers with wider feet might want to go for a size up as these are a bit on the narrow side. Oh, and they’ve got Peta’s seal of approval, too.

Best vegan shoes for women

VivoBarefoot ababa canvas dots Womens: £70, VivoBarefoot

Go back to basics with some canvas shoes specially designed by minimalist British shoe company VivoBarefoot to mimic the sensation of being barefoot and free. These dotty delights are handmade in Ethiopia in partnership with social enterprise, Soul of Africa, which supports education projects for disadvantaged kids. Even the print – choose from black or natural – has been designed in collaboration with local painters. They’ve got an ultra-thin yet surprisingly hardy rubber outsole but no cushioning or heel and are entirely free from animal products. They won’t be what you’re used to aesthetically – they’re purposefully much wider than most shoes to reflect the natural shape of your feet, meaning no more cramped toes. If this all sounds consciously charming but you’re dubious about how sturdy and comfy they are to wear, the 100-day free trial should help tempt you to give them a try – no likey, just return them at any point.

Best vegan shoes for women

Matt & Nat kalista black: £84, Matt & Nat

Canadian accessories brand Matt & Nat totally shun all animal-derived materials, so you can shop conscience-free (sorry, reader’s bank balance). These 3-inch block heeled Chelsea boots caught our eye, and certainly do away with any preconceptions that vegan shoes can’t be ethical, comfortable and stylish. In fact, the company’s motto is "live beautifully", in more ways than one. The Peta-approved Kalistas have a sophisticated pointed toe and are made from black imitation leather, which you’d never know wasn’t the real deal. They pull on easily thanks to a smart elasticated ankle panel and came up true to size, while the gum rubber sole is hard-wearing enough to see you through those long days dashing between meetings – and finally to the pub afterwards!

Best vegan shoes for women

Beyond Skin lexie black faux leather vegan stilettos: £99, Beyond Skin

Every woman needs a reliable pair of black stiletto heels, be it for work, play or both. These faux leather beauties from Brighton-based vegan footwear brand Beyond Skin were recommended to us by a vegan pal who was overjoyed to find some plastic-made shoes that didn’t rub and give her blisters (it doesn’t give as well as leather does, though). Handmade in Spain, they have pointed toes, a breathable faux leather lining made from recycled materials and a heel of roughly 9cm. Peta has given them the thumbs up, so you can strut down the corridor feeling ethically awesome. No wonder Oscar-winning actor Natalie Portman is one of many famous fans. Some sizes may be out of stock online but we’ve been assured that they’ll be back in shortly, with pre-orders sent out in early March – so don’t panic!

Best vegan shoes for women

M&S Collection metal trim loafers: £25, M&S

M&S deserves a shout-out as a high street store with a huge range of vegan shoes that aren’t just kind to animals, but well-made and chic too. We were drawn to these metal trim loafers, which come in cheery cherry red or classic black and offer women with broader feet a "wide fit" option. The man-made material mimics suede (so be careful in rainy weather) and has an elegant check lining. They’re an absolute steal at just £25 a pair, and so comfy you’ll forget to take them off when you get home from a long day’s slog. The only downside is that there are no half sizes – if in doubt size up and grab some insoles.

Best vegan shoes for women

Toms turquoise corduroy women’s carmel sneakers: £33, Toms

Roll back to the Seventies with these laid-back corduroy kicks from Californian footwear favourite Toms. Though not a vegan brand per se, the company offers an extensive range of shoes that are. These sneakers, inspired by the Sunshine State’s seaside towns, shot straight to the top of our "must have" list as they tick our three boxes: ethical, comfortable and cool. They’re also not like any shoes we’ve spotted elsewhere, so expect compliments from admiring strangers on the street. Though blissfully lightweight to wear with a cushioned insole, they’re also sturdy thanks to a rubber sole. Our faves are the turquoise, but the spicy red ones are hot too. Catch ‘em while they’re 40 per cent off in the sale and you could even justify buying both, especially as for every pair sold, Toms gives another to an underprivileged child. Go for your usual size.

The shoe was one of the first to be created by Bill Bowerman, Nike’s co-founder, and designed for runners competing in the 1972 Olympic trials.

The designer was inspired to create the shoe, which features a waffle sole traction pattern, by experimenting with his wife’s waffle iron and pouring rubber into the mould.

The "Moon Shoe" got its name from its resemblance to the "waffle" pattern left in the soil when running that looked like famous tracks left on the moon by astronauts in 1969.

Only 12 versions of the shoe were created and it is believed that only a few are still in existence. They were handmade by Geoff Hollister, one of the company’s first employees.

"I am thrilled to acquire the iconic Nike 'Moon Shoes," one of the rarest pairs of sneakers ever produced, and a true historical artefact in sports history and pop culture,” Nadal told Sotheby's.

"When I initially acquired the 99 other pairs in this auction last week, I just knew the Nikes had to remain part of this remarkable collection, and I couldn't be happier with the result.”

The bidder added that he thinks “sneaker culture” is “on the verge of a breakout moment”.

The trainer collector said he plans to display the Nike shoes alongside his collection of classic cars at his private museum in Toronto, Canada. He wants to opening the museum to friends, family and charitable organisations.

Noah Wunsch, Sotheby's global head of e-commerce, said of the auction record: "We are excited the iconic Nike Moon Shoe achieved more than double the previous world auction record for a sneaker today.

The "Swoosh" logo is seen on a Nike factory store on December 12, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. (Getty Images)

"We're extremely pleased that all 100 pairs of this exceptional selection of rare sneakers will remain together with Miles in his private museum."

News of the auction comes weeks after a streetwear auction site removed a pair of controversial Nike trainers from sale, explaining that the product did not reflect the company's "value system".

Earlier this month, it was announced that Nike had cancelled the release of a pair of Air Max 1 trainers designed in celebration of Independence Day in the US.

The design had reportedly been dubbed offensive by former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick for featuring an early version of the American flag designed by Betsy Ross.

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The early design of the flag – which features 13 stripes and 13 stars as a representation of the original US colonies – caused controversy due to its associations with slavery.

Despite being removed from sale by Nike, the trainers were still being sold on StockX.com for up to $2,500 (£1,988), approximately 20 times the product's retail price.

Scott Cutler, CEO of StockX.com, later announced that the site had removed the trainers from sale.

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