The $1-million Sneakers: Meissen x Adidas

When a sports shoe brand and a traditional porcelain factory collaborate, the result is a hybrid work at the crossroads of streetwear and craftsmanship. The New York branch of Sotheby’s is now offering a unique pair of sneakers, the result of a collaboration between Adidas and trailblazing porcelain maker Meissen.

Two iconic German creations, 128 years apart, have come together for the project: the original adidas ZX8000 sneaker, first presented in 1984, and the Krater Vase from Meissen, introduced in 1856.

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The vase, designed by sculptor Ernst August Leuteritz, unites a number of decorative styles and techniques from throughout the manufacturer’s 310-year history. The sneakers have been adorned with fifteen of the Krater Vase’s 130 different patterns. Ensuring the sneakers’ unique place in history, each pattern has been meticulously crafted with the utmost care and precision by four individual painters across three separate Meissen departments. 

In all, the two companies spent six months working on the execution of the pair, titled ADIDAS X MEISSEN ZX8000 PORCELAIN.

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The auction is open online until 16 December on the Sotheby’s website. The low estimate has been set at around $1 million (£750,000). All proceeds will be donated to the Brooklyn Museum, which attempts to make art accessible to local youths.

“Sotheby’s is thrilled to partner with adidas and Meissen to offer this ground-breaking collaboration, which further explores the relationship between art, fashion, culture, and of course, sneakers. Spanning a six-month period, a tremendous amount of effort went into creating this work, and Sotheby’s is pleased to present this piece to both our sneaker and fine art collectors globally,” commented Brahm Wachter,  Sotheby’s Director of eCommerce Development.

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