He might look miserable 80 per cent of the time, but Ben Affleck is known to keep a spring his step — namely with a whole host of extortionately priced (sometimes questionably looking) sneakers. His LA outing yesterday (January 18) saw the actor break in a fresh pair of Nike Parra x Dunk collaboration mish-mash blue and red toned trainers — yours from GOAT sneakers for a cool £2,371.
To my mind, the only logical reason reason to buy such an overpriced trainer is to flog them for profit (the UK's growing preloved sneaker market is worth £2.9bn a year, according to Ebay). However this Depop/Vinted cash injection, once one of life's great joys, is now being crushed by the new side hustle tax (big thank you, HMRC).
And yet, a quick glance at the top brand websites proves the dawn of the four-digit trainer does appear to have arrived. Balenciaga sell their super extended sole ‘3XL Ski Trainers’ at £1,210 (gimmick shoes have been constant of designer Demna Gvasalia's shaky tenure at the house, and sneakers came even more grotesquely large for the spring summer 2024 collection), Zegna's Crocodile Leather Triple Stitch Sneakers are a steep £3,485 from Harrods, while Christian Louboutin sell an embroidered high top trainer for £1,895 on Matches.
These are all squint-inducing prices, sure, but it is doesn't even touch on the collectables. On Farfetch, a pair of Air Yeezy "Net" sneakers are listed for £16,090; the Jordan x Dior Air Jordan 1 Retro High sneakers for £13,123 and Louis Vuitton Air Force 1 Mid "Virgil Abloh - White/White" shoes for £11,100. Last year at a Sotheby's auction, Michael Jordan’s 1998 NBA Finals ‘Bred’ Air Jordan 13 pair sold for a record breaking $2.2 million. All makes Affleck look like a bit of a bargain hunter.
Those after the luxury equivalent to the sneakerhead show-off pairs need not look further than Chanel, however, whose OG couture trainers came courtesy Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel in 2014. Then, the sneakers (handmade by the ateliers of Massaro) were only available if a full couture look was purchased, therefore requiring a £50,000 initial investment at least. Perhaps enough to turn Affleck’s frown upside down?
The most expensive trainers on sale now:
