Got $50K? Apple's Rare, Employee-Only Sneakers Can Be Yours
Forget Steve Jobs' worn-out Birkenstocks. Another wearable piece of Apple history is on the market and this time, it's in mint condition.
Sotheby's is selling a pair of Apple-branded sneakers made in collaboration with Omega Sports, a sporting goods retailer that shuttered operations earlier this year. The shoes were designed exclusively for Apple employees as a special giveaway during a National Sales Conference in the mid-’90s and were never made available to the general public.
The size 10.5s are as retro as can be — all white with a chunky, air-assisted sole, they're stitched with Apple's rainbow logo, an old design that was introduced in 1977 and retired in 1998.
In pristine condition (NIB!), the rare sneakers are going for a cool $50,000. It's a hefty sum, sure, but remember how much Jobs' beat-up Birks auctioned for? How about that first-generation iPhone?
Sotheby's listing also serves as a reminder of Apple's in-house clothing line, which turned out to be an epic flop. Launched in 1986, The Apple Collection offered branded apparel and accessories that were, well, pretty goofy-looking.
Since then, it seems the tech giant has mostly stayed in its lane — a wise choice, though we have to admit that its employee-only sneakers are pretty fire, given fashion's recent penchant for vintage-looking kicks.
Head to Sotheby's website to take a closer look at the 20-something-year-old sneakers.
