This sneaker is not for public consumption. This is not a marketing project, nor a commercial version. This is not cooperation, but condolences to Kanye West. Since it was designed in 2007 and produced in 2008, it has been unpredictable. It is a real rarity and has not been destroyed by endless reposts on social media.
"We really just want to express our sincere sympathy to him," said Jason Mayden, a former New Jordan designer and designer of this shoe. During his time at the company, Maiden designed products for athletes like Carmelo Anthony and Derek Kitt, but this time it was completely different. "It's not something to chase influence, it shouldn't be seen."
In West’s long, tortuous catalog of sneakers, there are few products as rare and mysterious as the "Donda" version of the Air Jordan 6. This shoe was made to commemorate the mother, Dr. Donda West, who passed away in November 2007. Her name and Kanye West's song "Roses" (Roses) appeared on the sock liner. The upper is decorated with laser roses. The Jordan 6 was West's favorite of that era.
Maiden is currently a member of the president of Adidas' "Fear of God" sports department and has never discussed this sneaker publicly before. He remembers that the Jordan brand has only four or six pairs, specifically for West and his close friends also C. They only appear on the Internet a few times, usually from C. Last month, it was announced that the sneaker buzz is an album that Western Architecture's Donda will release this week. This shoe is not Maiden's own.
"I personally don't want a pair because I don't want to keep something like this in my collection because it is special and meaningful to him," he said. "This is not a typical release, nor a typical quick strike, nor a typical cooperation."At least one group is beyond the original close group. Air Jordan 35 Low Q54 ,About two years ago, a collector in London bought the pair of "Donda" Air Jordan 6s. He did not want to reveal too many details about them and asked not to reveal his name in this article.
How much did he spend on these shoes?
"A lot," the collector said. "I signed a non-disclosure agreement and would not disclose the exact figures. This is a lot of money."
He also didn't want to disclose who got it from, but he said that the former homeowner claimed to get it from someone connected with West's inner circle. The shoes are hidden and kept in an environment designed to protect them.
"It's stored safely," he promised. "Temperature, moisture resistance, etc. things like this. Especially a pair like this, you just want to make sure it doesn't deteriorate."
His collection also includes other samples, including a Nike Air Yeezy that has never been released. He plans to share these shoes through "Culture Curation" (Culture Curation). "Cultural Curation" is his new page on Instagram, dedicated to rare shoes and the stories behind them. The collector’s "Donda" Air Jordan 6 is in size 12, which is West's own size. Because this shoe is very unique, people cannot really confirm its authenticity by comparing it with other shoes, but he said that he conducted due diligence before buying. Maiden thinks these two are legal, but they are slightly different from the two sent.
He explained: "This shoe looks like a genuine product, but it's not a finished product." "We didn't shape the tongue. According to my memory, it was just cleanly embroidered with roses."
The designer is one of a small staff of Reggie Saunders, director of marketing for Jordan Entertainment, who also participated in Nike executive Gentry Humphrey (Gentry Humphrey). ),Latest Jordan 2020, the latter once worked for Jordan Brand. Maiden said that only three people participated in the shoes, adding that Michael Jordan signed it himself. Jordan Brand never worked with West on sneakers, even though they gave him free sneakers at the time.
Despite the alliance with Adidas, the main competitor of Nike, the parent company of the Jordan brand, West has always maintained an affinity for Jordan. Taking into account his long-term contract with Adidas, his Yeezy Boost sneakers made him a billionaire, New Release Yeezy in the future is almost impossible to launch a more formal Air Jordan (Air Jordan) sneakers.
The European collector does not intend to sell this sneaker called "Donda", but given the recent large-scale auction of a series of sneakers by the auction house, it is hard not to think that such an extremely scarce shoe is in the secondary market. How much money can be sold on. In April of this year, Sotheby's sold Kanye West's Nike Air Yeezy signature shoe samples for $1.8 million.
"If someone is willing to pay so much money, I might consider it," the owner of the "Donda" flying Jordan 6 said with a smile. "Otherwise I will keep it, because I know that once I sell it, I won't be able to get it back."
Collectors will not forget their meaning and historical status. For Maiden, who is from Chicago like West, the significance is even more profound.
