This market briefing will reflect on the evolution of training shoes from comfort and style to trend champion and will also highlight how Fine Art & Specie insurance requires a meticulous understanding of the unique characteristics of popular collectables.
Over the past 150 years, specialist sports footwear has moved from the playing field into the heart of fashion. Brands like adidas, Puma, Nike, Converse, and Vans are now some of the most recognisable on the planet. Shoes that were once worn only by athletes have become highly desirable, with fans and collectors willing to pay eye-watering amounts for the rarest and most sought-after models. Original shoes that carry providence and interesting stories captivate auction bidders attracted by the illustriousness of famous owners or makers.
Shoes worn by the rich and famous sell for eye-watering amounts at specialist sales. Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland and Roger Bannister have all had footwear sold at auction for hundreds of thousands of pounds. The importance of limited editions and originals which carry providence and, in some cases, an interesting story may captivate auction bidders attracted by the illustriousness attached to a previous, possibly famous, owner. The running spikes worn by Roger Bannister when he broke the four minute mile sold at auction in 2015 for £220,000. One of the earliest hand-crafted Nike models sold recently for $437,500.