I’ll miss Tim Cook’s sneaker game most of all

On stage at Apple events, Tim Cook is an unassuming guy. Dressed in dark jeans, polo shirts, and the occasional sweater, he doesn’t have the signature style of his predecessor or the panache of Craig Federighi. But as something of a sneakerhead, I’ve always respected his sneaker game.

Steve Jobs famously wore gray New Balance 992s at nearly every Apple event, but his predecessor has much more varied and specialized tastes. While Cook’s casual footwear of choice appears to be Zegna’s Triple Stitch Secondskins, which retail for around $1,500, Cook also has a deep catalogue of Nike shoes coveted by sneakerheads everywhere. Just this week at an employee event to announce John Ternus as Apple’s new CEO, Cook was spotted wearing a pair of Tom Sachs x Nike Mars Yard 3.0 sneakers. These too routinely sell for $1,500.

Over the years, Tim has worn some of the most unique and highly sought-after shoes on the planet, including Sashiko Gals x Nike Vomero Plus, Fragment Design x Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Low OG in the Sail Military Blue colorway (above), and classic all-black Air Force Ones. He even rocked a one-of-one pair of white Nike Air Max 1 ’86 stitched with Apple’s trademark rainbow around the swoosh.

Incoming CEO Ternus, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to care much for kicks. He’s generally seen wearing a nondescript pair of gray or black loafer-style shoes that prioritize comfort over fashion. If he’s Tim’s size, maybe he can borrow a pair or two—because the shoes he’s going to need to fill are pretty hype.