The 10 Rarest Sneakers On Grailed: Week of December 1, 2019

December 4, 2019 by Stephen Albertini

The 10 Rarest Sneakers On Grailed: Week of December 1, 2019

Words Stephen Albertini
Date December 4, 2019
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When the time came for Jerry Lorenzo–the mind behind Fear of God–and Nike to collaborate on a sneaker, Lorenzo held firm that the collaboration could only happen if he could craft his own silhouette from scratch. According to him, that’s just the kind of designer he is. “My gifts are not coloring up anything,” he said in an interview with Complex. “My gift is in shape.”

With the support of Nike’s world-class designers behind him and his handpicked fabrics flown in from around the world at his disposal, Lorenzo created his first signature sneakers with Nike, the Air Fear of God 1. Lorenzo went to work trying to craft the perfectly fresh performance silhouette that could be worn on and off the court, a problem in which Nike had long been in search of a remedy.

“I think one of the things that Nike–I don’t want to say Nike was struggling with–wanted to see,” Lorenzo recalled in an interview with Hypebeast, “was their basketball shoes transcend performance the way they did back in the ’80s and ’90s.”

At its heart, the Air Fear of God 1 is a true performance basketball sneaker. It’s held down by a double-stacked Zoom heel unit and its sock-like upper is enclosed in a custom TPU cage (reminiscent of the Nike Huarache), ensuring protection for those quick twitch movements on the court. He incorporated all those technological advancements while keeping his overarching design and colorways undeniably cool. He achieved his and Nike’s goal of creating a shoe that was both appealing and performance-driven without compromising either, and that’s where we kick off this week’s list.

Never forget: No online retailer has the same breadth and depth of selection as Grailed. From JJJJound Reeboks to patent leather Jordans (and everything in between), in no particular order, these are our picks for the Rarest Sneakers on Grailed This Week.

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Tags: sneakers, rarest-sneakers, jordan-brand, jordan-1, cactus-plant-flea-market, supreme, comme-des-garcons-shirt, comme-des-garcons, asics, air-force-1, sb-dunk, nike-sb, moncler, kith, jerry-lorenzo, fear-of-god, nike-air-fear-of-god-1, nike

Nike Air Fear of God 1 “Oatmeal”

Year: 2019
Listing Price: $460
Size: 12

The “Oatmeal” flavored Air Fear of God 1 is the latest installment in Jerry Lorenzo’s first signature run with the Swoosh. Releasing in early November, the “Oatmeal” colorway followed the likes of the “Bone,” “Frosted Spruce,” and other colorways which preceded it in being an absolute hit. Constructed in a knit sock-like upper which is anchored in place by a custom TPU cage. There’s also a whole lot of Zoom Air support in the sole, allowing this grail to pull double duty on the streets and on the court. All the Fear of God 1s are tough finds on Grailed, as it is an undisputed candidate for Sneaker of the Year.

Editor's Note: Since the time of publication, this listing has been deleted

JJJJound x Reebok Club C 85

Year: 2019
Listing Price: $320
Size: 10.5

When old general release Reebok Club Cs started showing up at retailers around the country this summer, there had to be a reason. That reason is the JJJJound influence. One of the foremost authorities in taste, JJJJound, a Montreal-based, omniscient mood board headed up by Justin Saunders, supplied a breath of fresh air for struggling Reebok. A relatively simple aesthetic, JJJJound opted for a white premium leather upper with neutral grey accents and its signature JJJJound branding on the side panel. This minimalist’s dream has hypebeasts everywhere wondering what JJJJound has planned in 2020.

Moncler x Kith x Asics Gel Lyte III “Red”

Year: 2017
Listing Price: $300
Size: 11

Kith founder Ronnie Fieg hit the slopes in 2017 for his winter-ready take on the Asics Gel Lyte III. Tag-teaming with Moncler, Fieg’s Kith imprint dropped three colorways (red, white and blue) just in time for the holiday season. The “Red” pair featured in this listing is constructed with a pigskin suede upper and is taken to the next level via a sherpa wool sockliner. Co-branded designs can be found everywhere from the sole to the tongue. This was released alongside a cozy apparel collection, also in conjunction with the aforementioned Italian lifestyle brand.

Comme des Garçons SHIRT x Supreme x Nike Air Force 1

Year: 2018
Listing Price: $600
Size: 9

After the success of 2017’s Supreme x Nike Air Force 1 with the infamous “Eyes” design, Supreme and Comme des Garçons SHIRT linked up the following year for another iteration of the Nike classic. 2018’s design veered away from the bold graphic but still kept it relatively simple. Clad in a black leather upper, there’s a white leather Swoosh that’s broken up right in the middle. The tiniest co-branding text was featured on the heel and that was it. Every time Supreme and Comme des Garçons SHIRT get together it’s a hit, especially when an Air Force 1 is involved.

Peaceminusone x Nike Air Force 1 “Para-noise”

Year: 2019
Listing Price: $400
Size: 13

The newest release on this week’s list, G-Dragon’s Peaceminusone collective dropped the “Para-noise” Air Force 1 in November 2019 to rave reviews. The South Korean artist wanted to showcase his appreciation for culture, music and fashion and he embodied that in his design. When the black leather upper of the sneaker eventually wears away it will reveal a piece of his youth-inspired artwork. He also made it a point to include fun accents like a daisy, thick laces and pins, to further separate his design from your typical Air Force 1.

Cactus Plant Flea Market x Nike Blazer “Sponge Nike By You”

Year: 2019
Listing Price: $350
Size: 9

Cactus Plant Flea Market’s meteoric rise has been well documented both on this list and in general, and that’s thanks in large part to its three uber-successful collaborations with Nike this year. This DIY-Blazer, the second Cactus Plant Flea Market and Nike release, is featured in this listing. Much like its Air Force 1 featured earlier this month, this sneaker released as a part of Nike By You, gave consumers the chance to customize it to their liking. Tinkering with fabrics and colors, you were able to create your perfect Cactus Plant Flea Market and Nike concoction. This particular pair boasts green accents and a cozy sherpa wool upper.

Nike SB Dunk Low “Jedi”

Year: 2004
Listing Price: $499
Size: 13

This Star Wars-inspired SB Dunk from 2004 perfectly encapsulated the Jedi way, and is appropriately named after it. The upper is draped in the traditional attire and green skin of Jedi master Yoda and it’s topped off with neon green accents—a nod to the power and brightness of a Jedi lightsaber. You can already sense yourself becoming one with the Force. Ideal for any Star Wars fan or just someone who misses the halcyon days when SBs reigned supreme, you just don’t see many of these rare beauties available on Grailed.

Nike SB Dunk Low “Ms. Pacman”

Year: 2009
Listing Price: $425
Size: 12

Inspired by the classic 1980s arcade game “Ms. Pacman” that so many kids spent hours trying to crack, this SB Dunk from 2009 sports a really interesting color palette. Decked in a reddish pink and aqua blue upper, the sneaker is topped off with yellow outlines along the paneling, really rounding out the entire Ms. Pacman color scheme. A “Mr. Pacman” Dunk High would also release that same year, and while both are classic SBs, the “Ms. Pacman” Dunk featured in this listing is still slightly more sought after.

Nike SB Dunk Low “Newcastle Brown Ale”

Year: 2008
Listing Price: $425
Size: 9

As you can see, SB Dunks truly pulled inspiration from any and everywhere for sneaker designs. Given that Nike notably took inspiration from Heineken beer to create a cult classic Dunk, it makes sense for them to create another beer-inspired colorway, this time linked to Newcastle Brown Ale. Nike SB reimagined the bottle’s packaging–shades of tan and yellow with red and blue accents–for this 2008 release. It never quite did the numbers of the “Heineken” release, which isn’t a surprise considering that’s one of the most successful SB releases of all time, but the Newcastle Brown Ale SB went down just fine.

Air Jordan 1 Patent “UNC”

Year: 2003
Listing Price: $200
Size: 14

Long before Virgil Abloh and Eric Koston repurposed the “University Blue” Jordan I, one of the OG colorways was re-released in 2003 with a complete patent leather overhaul. A material which was originally made famous on the iconic Jordan XI, patent leather Jordan Is had a moment in the early 2000s. This UNC-inspired pair features a chrome Wings logo on the side and transparent sole, accented with retro-era Jumpman logos throughout. While some might see the patent leather as a departure from what makes the Jordan I so great, this can’t-miss colorway will easily quell those fears.

The 10 Rarest Sneakers On Grailed: Week of December 1, 2019

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The 10 Rarest Sneakers On Grailed: Week of December 1, 2019

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Nike Air Fear of God 1 “Oatmeal”

JJJJound x Reebok Club C 85

Moncler x Kith x Asics Gel Lyte III “Red”

Comme des Garçons SHIRT x Supreme x Nike Air Force 1

Peaceminusone x Nike Air Force 1 “Para-noise”

Cactus Plant Flea Market x Nike Blazer “Sponge Nike By You”

Nike SB Dunk Low “Jedi”

Nike SB Dunk Low “Ms. Pacman”

Nike SB Dunk Low “Newcastle Brown Ale”

Air Jordan 1 Patent “UNC”