Adidas Cuts Ties With Kanye West: What Does It Mean for the Future of the Yeezy Brand?
Kanye West has been a controversial figure for years, but his troubling behavior has become more erratic in the last year. West has been suspended from social media more than once for harassment and hate speech. The most recent suspension came after West made antisemitic statements on both Instagram and Twitter. The social media timeout isn’t the only repercussion, though. Amid pressure from fans and celebrities, several businesses have opted to cut ties with West. Adidas, the sportswear company West has been designing sneakers with for years, is the most recent business to cut ties with the controversial rapper. What does that really mean for the Yeezy brand, though?
Adidas has cut ties with Kanye West following his antisemitic remarks
Adidas has spent years trying to establish itself in sneaker culture. Nike, which has long held the Jordan line, has remained the most popular sneaker brand for those who consider themselves footwear aficionados. Still, Adidas did garner a much larger market share once they teamed with Kanye West on his Yeezy line.
The first Yeezy sneaker, in partnership with Adidas, was released in 2015. The shoes quickly sold out, and each incarnation was met with similar fervor. Now, that line has officially ended. Adidas announced that they terminated their relationship with Kanye West on October 25.
Will Adidas continue using the sneaker designs associated with Yeezy?
While West’s partnership with Adidas is over, the designs made famous by his line don’t sound like they’ll be going anywhere anytime soon. Adidas was incredibly specific with the way they worded their statement. In one telling sentence, the company laid claim to the designs associated with the Yeezy brand. The statement, posted on the company’s website, reads, “adidas is the sole owner of all design rights to existing products as well as previous and new colorways under the partnership.”
So, what exactly does that mean? While the company did not elaborate on future plans, industry experts theorize that Adidas has a strategy to bring back, at least, some of the famed designs, perhaps under their official umbrella. Several sneaker designs in the Adidas catalog mimic designs seen in the Yeezy lineup. For example, the Adidas Ozelia feels stylistically similar to the Yeezy 700 sneaker. The company will release more information during its Q3 earnings announcement in early November. The actually Yeezy brand at Adidas is clearly done, but the styles may live on.
Interestingly enough, West had previously accused the sneaker company of stealing his designs. The accusations against Adidas came months before the end of their partnership. In June 2022, Ye took to Instagram to accuse the company of stealing his slides design. He quickly deleted the post.
Adidas is not the only brand that has cut ties with West
Adidas is only the latest company that has severed ties with the rapper following his most recent string of controversial social media statements. Gap, moved to remove all Yeezy-branded items from their stores days before Adidas announced the end of their collaboration with West. Balenciaga also cut ties with the rapper.
JPMorgan Chase has decided to end their banking relationship with West, and CAA, West’s talent agency, has dropped him. According to the Los Angeles Times, Def Jam released West from his contract, and production company MRC will not release a completed documentary about the rapper’s life.
The swift changes to West’s business relationships have significantly altered his net worth. According to CNN, Forbes dropped Ye from their list of billionaires following Adidas’ decision. The publication said much of his net worth was tied to the brand. He is now estimated to have a net worth of $400 million.
