$3,000 ‘Jesus Shoes’ injected with holy water from Jordan River sell out in minutes
Brooklyn-based brand MSCHF released a limited-edition Nike Air Max 97 sneaker filled with water from the Jordan River in the soles at a cost of $3,000 per pair. The sneakers, called "Jesus Shoes," sold out within minutes.
The sneakers were reportedly injected with 60 ccs of water from the Jordan River and blessed by a priest. Gabriel Whaley, the brand's founder, had fewer than two dozen pair of the MSCHF x INRI Jesus Shoes made. INRI represents the Latin inscription which translates to "Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews.” Each pair was sold for $3,000 and sold out within minutes after the launch.
Although the design is on the all-white Nike Air Max 97s, Nike is not affiliated with the creation of the shoe. MSCHF designers bought the sneakers at retail value and then repurposed them with a hand-created design. They hoped MSCHF x INRI would give off the illusion of “walking on water” as Jesus did.
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The injected water can be seen through the sole of the shoe with blue coloring added to enhance visibility, Whaley told Fox News. The Bible verse Matthew 14:25, which recounts Jesus walking on water, is also printed on the side of the sneaker. Among the other Christian symbols featured on the shoes is a single red dot symbolizing Jesus' blood, frankincense-scented insoles, and a crucifix attached to the laces.
MSCHF designers said the idea for the shoes came while they were poking fun at the collaboration culture.
“We thought of that Arizona Iced Tea and Adidas collab, where they were selling shoes that [advertised] a beverage company that sells iced tea at bodegas,” head of commerce Daniel Greenberg told the New York Post. “So we wanted to make a statement about how absurd collab culture has gotten.”
“We were wondering, what would a collab with Jesus Christ look like?” he continued. “As a Jew myself, the only thing I knew was that he walked on water.”
MSCHF sent six pairs to YouTubers and celebrities, such as rapper A$AP Rocky before they went on sale as a way to ensure its success in the market. The Jesus Shoes were posted Tuesday on the retail site StockX and immediately sold out.
The MSCHF website announced that they’ll be making biweekly “drops” at every second and fourth Tuesday of each month.
Whaley hinted that there might be more Jesus Shoes being sold in the future.
Below is a video review shot of the shoes before they went on sale.
