Sotheby’s Presents its First Sneaker Sale in Asia: Cult Canvas

The “Yellow Lobster” Sample: A highly scarce edition from the Boston-inspired Series
The “Freddy Krueger” Prototype: Tribute to the villain from the “Nightmare on Elm Street” film franchise

“Kanye West Huarache 08”: Made in Commemoration of his “Glow in The Dark Tour” – One of just a few samples known to exist
“Pastelle”: The only known prototype from Kanye’s own & first label – Marking the Genesis of his exploration into the fashion world

Online bidding opens from 7 – 21 Oct
Auction Preview:
K11 MUSEA | 18 – 21 Sep
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre | 7 – 12 Oct

Hong Kong, 16 September 2021 – As the sequel to the highly successful sale in New York last September, Sotheby’s is excited to present the second iteration of Cult Canvas, an online sale series dedicated to ultra-rare, sample and prototype sneakers, in Hong Kong this October. This will mark Sotheby’s first dedicated sneakers auction in Asia, where 9 pairs of sneakers are opened for online bidding from 7 – 21 October. The sale is curated by Ryan Chang, Founder and Chief Curator of Applied Arts [@applied.arts.nyc] – a media company that celebrates sneakers as fine-art objects.

From the series inspired by the traditional Boston lobster dinner experience, Nike and CNCPTS collaboration on the Yellow Lobster was intended to create incredible scarcity. The sneakers were not found at retail and only given to friends and family of the brand surrounding the release of the ‘Blue Lobster’ Dunk. It is said that only 36 pairs were made. As explained by NIKE, the chances of finding a yellow lobster from a Maine lobster trap are roughly one in forty million – the odds of finding the Yellow Lobster Dunk Low Pro SB are also a rare anomaly, making them an incredible find for sneakerheads globally.

Paying tribute to Freddy Krueger, the villain in the Nightmare on Elm Street film franchise, the sneaker cleverly incorporates the most distinctive features of the character into the design, including the striped sweater pattern throughout the base of the sneaker with blood splatters over the beige leather overlays. The Swoosh is to echo with the blades on Freddy’s leather gloves. While the sneaker itself was never released to the public, still a small number of Dunks made it out. There are three models in the market: the sample of the original release, the original release, and a prototype version featuring a wider striped pattern (offered here). This is arguably the most desirable and rare of the three coveted variations.

Kanye West, now known as ‘Ye’ is among the most influential rappers, designers, and artists alive today. Offered here is a pair of one of the rarest Kanye West samples known to exist, the ‘Glow in the Dark Tour’ Huarache. It is rumoured that only 5 pairs were created. The sneakers were made by Nike in commemoration of Kanye West, with colors representative of his neon-inspired concerts in the late 2000s.

Pastelle was one of Kanye West’s first forays into fashion, where the name itself stood for “The Past Tells Everything.” In 2008, West attended the American Music Awards in a cobalt blue jacket with “Pastelle” in yellow across the back. Although Pastelle has not come to be a mainstream brand, the work Kanye produced would mark a moment in his exploration into the fashion world. Offered in the sale is a unique sneaker from Pastelle – the only one known to Sotheby’s – and is a prototype produced in June of 2009 for what would be “Season: Fall 10.” The sneaker was given to model Gio Mitchell, when he modelled a shoot for West. There are noticeable differences within this sample pair. The soles are different on the right and left shoes, with the left having a grey colour and the right a beige. Additionally, the right sneaker has the phrase “The Past Tells Everything” written on sole.