First Auction of Sneakers in Romania

A10 by Artmark Auction House exclusively dedicates an auction to urban pop culture. Toyz. Contemporary Collectibles brings together the most valuable pairs of sneakers in Romania, created due to rare collaborations between famous sports shoe brands, legendary personalities or renowned brands from the fashion industry, and video games, figurines inspired by comics or unique skateboards. In recent years, the passion for sneakers has experienced remarkable growth throughout the world, but also in Romania, becoming more than sports shoes but a phenomenon dedicated to urban culture. Thus, the event on July 11, organized by A10 by Artmark, becomes a landmark in the local streetwear industry, where collectors and enthusiasts can access rare and exclusive pairs of sneakers.

The most valuable pair has a starting price of EUR 10,000 and is born from the collaboration between Keith Hufnagel and Nike. “HUF x Nike Dunk Low, Unique Piece: #KeithForever” is a unique pair in the world, cast in resin, and specially designed in HUF’s memory, keeping details that refer to the person of the famous skater.

The result of urban fashion and luxury collaboration is the pair of Louis Vuitton Nike Air Force 1 Low by Virgil Abloh White Royal sneakers. The copy has a starting price of 5,000 euros, is made of premium leather, and has been worn by legends of world urban culture, such as LeBron James or Eminem, representing a “grail” for any collector.

Another first for the auction is the pair of “Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG” sneakers, which bear the holographic signature of the artist Selly. The model in the auction, with a starting price of EUR 250, is one of the newest declines of the legendary Air Jordan 1.

Pairs of sneakers with an unconventional, lovely look reminiscent of technology were created from the collaboration between Nike and Fear of God through designer Jerry Lorenzo. The pair in the July 11 auction – the “Nike Air Fear of God 1 String Off-Noir Friends & Family” has a starting price of EUR 2,500 and was created in a limited edition of just 100 pieces, which usually are distributed to the circle of relatives or those who participated in the project.

The “Jordan 1 Retro High Union Los Angeles Black Toe” is one of the most worn models by Michael Jordan in his NBA career. The model put up for auction for the starting price of 1,500 euros is made in collaboration with the Los Angeles branch of the Union brand and perfectly reinterprets the classic line. The original Black Toe model became essential, transforming the sneaker silhouette into contemporary iconography.

The triple collaboration between Nike, the Japanese brand Fragment Design and the American rapper Travis Scott produced the pair of sneakers, “Nike Air Jordan x Travis Scott Fragment Design 1 Low”, with a starting price of 2,000 euros in the auction. Pairs signed Fragment usually become the object of collections in limited editions. Only 4,800 pairs can be found under this model, the vast majority reserved only for the most famous streetwear stores in the world. Among the celebrities spotted wearing this pair is former NBA MVP Kevin Durant.

During the event, “Toyz. Contemporary Collectibles” will also be auctioned two Harley Davidson motorcycles. The Harley VL model which was made in 1930-1936, almost 100 years ago! – has a starting price of 15,000 euros, and the Harley XLH 1000 model, produced in 1981, has a starting price of 8,000 euros. Also making a special appearance is the 1988 Porsche 911 Carrera, a classic Porsche gem. It is the first Porsche 911 Turbo to feature the 3.3-liter 286 hp engine, with a starting price of €50,000. The car had three owners in the U.S. and was brought to Romania in 2017 in good working order.

“Toyz. Contemporary Collectibles” will take place next week, Tuesday, July 11, at noon. The auction will be held exclusively online, on artmark.ro, in the new Timed Online Auction format. Pairs of sneakers and collectibles – from figurines inspired by comic book superheroes, from sports memorabilia to old games and gaming collectibles, from comics to jewelry inspired by the beloved Walt Disney universe, are exhibited at the Cesianu-Racovița Palace and can be admired from Monday to Sunday between 10:00 and 20:00.