The 1990s were a strange time for Apple, marked by the launch of its first PDA, a failed gaming console, a wacky camera, and of course, the iconic iMac. But perhaps nothing is stranger than a pair of Omega Sports sneakers adorned with the Apple logo–and you can now own a pair.
Sotheby’s Auction House is selling the sneakers as an immediate purchase for $50,000 and describes them as “one of the most obscure in existence and highly coveted on the resale market.” While Apple had a brief line of clothing in the mid-80s, these shoes were never sold to customers but were rather a “one-time giveaway at a National Sales Conference,” according to Sotheby’s. It’s not clear how many pairs of shoes were made.
The sneakers themselves are somewhat unremarkable, with an all-white design adorned with a rainbow Apple logo on the tongue and sides. Sotheby’s says the shoes are new-in-box but the condition “is consistent with age, imperfections include yellowing around the midsoles and glue, and light marks on the toe boxes.”
The description says more than 22,000 Apple consumers purchased clothing and accessories from the brand in 1985 before the line was retired. Apple still sells a selection of shirts and accessories at its Apple Park campus for visitors.
Shipping is free but the buyer will need to pay local sales tax on the purchase, which will add a couple thousand bucks to the total. But anyone spending $50,000 on a pair of sneakers probably won’t mind.
Author: Michael Simon, Executive Editor
Michael Simon has been covering Apple since the iPod was the iWalk. His obsession with technology goes back to his first PC—the IBM Thinkpad with the lift-up keyboard for swapping out the drive. He's still waiting for that to come back in style tbh.