Apple introduced some super cool sneakers back in the 1990’s, and after viewing Versace’s head sneaker designer Salehe Bembury’s Instagram post on Wednesday, we might be seeing them again with a Versace twist. Bembury posted a photo of a chunky white sneaker with a rainbow logo, which happens to resemble the original, iconic Apple emblem from the ‘90s. The image was captioned: “A wise man once said nothing at all.”
Sneaker blogs were quick to notice the shoe’s similarity to the rare Apple sneakers that are believed to be made for the computer company’s employees in the late 1980s or early 1990s. Although, the mystery remains whether Versace will be creating the shoes for purchase, or if the photo is just a simple prototype. Bembury declined to go further into details on his post, while Versace didn’t respond to Esquire’s requests for comment.
The original Apple sneakers are much of a mystery as well. A size 9.5 pair were found at a garage sale in Palo Alto, California, just outside Apple’s Silicon Valley home two years ago. The shoes were then brought to Heritage Auction, which listed them at a starting bid of $30,000.
“We believe they were a pair of prototype sneakers made for Apple in the late 1980s or early ’90s,” says Hertiage Auction’s Director of Modern and Contemporary Art Leon Benrimon. “We believe there were only two pairs made, and the other pair was from the Apple archives. The pair we have are what we believe is the only known private pair.”
The Apple sneakers resemble Reeboks, though Apple’s co-founder Steve Jobs was a loyal New Balance wearer for most of his life. There is an embroidered Apple logo presented on the tongue, as well as on the side. The bottom of the sneaker is made with non-skid rubber.
After Heritage Auctions first announced they contained the original sneakers, the news was covered all around the world. According to Benrimon, the auction house had a large number of respectable offers, but the client is still holding out until they receive an offer of their asking price or higher. The shoes are still currently listed as availavle on the auction house’s site.
