Vashtie Kola, Aleali May and Leading Customizers Help eBay Celebrate 25 Years With Custom Sneaker Auction
To celebrate its 25th anniversary, eBay has launched an auction with 25 custom pairs of sneakers reimagined by some of the most respected names in footwear.
The auction — which is open now through Oct. 7 via Ebayinc.com/25kicks — features 25 custom sneakers that the marketplace said pays homage “to cultural forces that influenced fashion over the past two and a half decades.”
The auction features reimagined shoes from sneaker customizing standouts Cestlavic, Mache, DeJesus and Sierato. It also includes a silhouette given a pair of Nike Air Force 1s a new look from a trio of sneaker culture standouts: Vashtie Kola, Aleali May and Kickstradomis.
“Sneakers have a rich history on the marketplace, and 25 years of serving the community on eBay is a
milestone worthy of a celebration,” eBay North America GM of sneakers Mark Flaa said in a statement. “By partnering with industry icons Vashtie and Aleali May, and five top customizers, we’re bringing this collection to life with a nod to sneaker culture and community both on and off eBay.”
Included in the lineup is a men’s size 11 Reebok Question by Kickstradomis inspired by the grunge era from 1995, a DeJesus-reimagined New Balance 574 in a men’s size 11 inspired by 2006-10 Harajuku, a 2016-20 “Camo Couture”-inspired Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 in men’s size 12 by Sierato, a Nike Air Force 1 by Cestlavic in a youth 5.5 inspired by 2001-05 raves and a Vans Old Skool by Mache in a men’s 6.5 inspired by 2011-15 ombre.
Lastly, the Nike Air Force 1 reimagined by Kickstradomis, Kola and May is available in a men’s size 11.
“A lot of things have changed since I came onto the scene almost 20 years ago, but eBay has always been a place where I could score kicks that were impossible to find anywhere else,” Kola said in a statement. “The opportunity to work with Kickstradomis alongside my girl Aleali May, and to be a part of a collection featuring some of the industry’s top customizers has been really exciting. I love watching designers bring their ideas to life.”
May added, “Working with not only Vashtie, who paved the way for women in the sneaker industry, but eBay as another OG in the space has been such an exciting creative opportunity. Design has always been something I am passionate about, and examining trends since eBay’s launch 25 years ago and figuring out how to bring them to life on a shoe was a fun challenge.”