This article was published on January 12 and updated on January 25
The (new) year of Ye trudges onward in its weighty Red Wing boots. Weighty boots that're apparently worth over $3,000 on the secondhand market.
Having ditched his Crocs boots, Ye's Balenciaga uniform is now anchored by a pair of hard-wearing Red Wing Style 3094 work boots, lined with quilted Thinsulate, grounded with a steel toe, and fitted on a Vibram sole.
Ye hasn't taken these Red Wings off since he broke the internet by announcing his relationship with Julia Fox in early January.
To be precise, Ye was first spotted wearing the boots just before the Larry Hoover Benefit Concert he played alongside Drake, demonstrating his preference for tucking vintage Levi's into the 17"-tall pull-on boots.
They're quite a departure from his usual YEEZYs, which must feel featherweight compared to the heavy Red Wings.
Still, the lack of laces and wide shaft ensure easy access, which has gotta be appealing for a guy on the go. In the last couple of weeks alone, Ye and Fox have jetsetted from Miami to New York to LA, with plenty of destinations in each city.
Though Fox's Diesel 'fits have generated ample attention, Ye's apparently got fans so thirsty for their own Red Wings that his name alone boosted a recent eBay sale to stratospheric heights.
On January 12, eBay user mjean80 sold a pair of size 13 Red Wing Style 3094 boots identical to the ones worn by Ye for a whopping $3,050.
Despite the enthusiastic headline ("Kanye West Concert Boot!"), these are certainly not Ye's boots. Not only is he still wearing his pair but Ye reportedly wears a size 12, not 13.
So, why did the Red Wings rake in four figures while Icon Motosports gear remains affordable on Ebay, despite Ye and his pals flexing moto style?
Easy: this Red Wing model has been discontinued for years.
Presumably, the 3094 were quite unpopular until Ye started wearing them. Just compare this recent sale to the Red Wing 3094 boots that sold back in November for a measly $66.
Just goes to show the power of the Yeezy fandom, which sells out Ye's merch drops with the quickness, even bootleg merch.
Then, there's Mr. Pharrell Williams, who was spotted on January 25 en route to a private lunch hosted by Chanel.
Still sporting his tiny Tiffany & Co. shades, Pharrell also flexed a Human Made puffer jacket, giant Chanel cardigan, jeans, and his own favorite Red Wing boots, which he posted on Instagram a while back.
It appears as though Pharrell has taken a shine to the fairly functional Red Wing Irish Setter Ashby pull-on boot, also known as "Style 83909." They look kinda cowboy-ish but they're technical made for engineers, like Ye's pair.
Bad news if you wanna take some cues from Skateboard P, though: the Style 83909 boots appear to be almost as hard to come by as Ye's Style 3094. There are some available on eBay but only in limited sizes.
Red Wing's site offers some reasonable alternatives, like the Traction Tred Style 866 and Maxbond Style 4293 but I get the feeling that fans prefer the real deal.
