How sneakers turned big-money collectibles

In 2009, Derek Morrison stood in an airport boutique and considered spending $960 on a pair of Louis Vuitton x Kanye West sneakers crafted from rose-tinted suede and caramel leather. He ultimately decided against it — he couldn’t justify the price and had too many suitcases.

A little over a decade later, the shoes are being advertised online for $10,000 a pair.

“I’ve regretted it ever since,” said Morrison, who now works as European senior director for the sneaker resale platform, StockX.

Released just months before West debuted his game-changing Nike x Yeezy line, the sneakers have become part of fashion history. “They represented a convergence of sneakers, Kanye and high fashion that was controversial at the time, but such a pivotal moment in the industry,” Morrison said, describing it as “a breakthrough that paved the way for the modern era we see today.”