The Business of Fashion
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
Lawyers for Ye (formerly Kanye West) have sent a letter to Gap saying West is ending his partnership with the apparel chain, the Wall Street Journal reported.
In the letter, West reportedly accused Gap of breaching its commitment by not releasing apparel from the collaboration and failing to open retail stores. It stated that 40 percent of the Yeezy Gap collection was required to have begun selling in physical stores in the second half of 2021. It also claimed Gap was supposed to have opened up to five stores focused on Yeezy Gap products by July 2023, though it hasn’t opened any to date.
West has recently taken to social media to air his grievances against Gap and Adidas, claiming both companies have copied his designs and haven’t kept promises made to the rapper.
If the partnership falls apart, it would be an early and startling end to what was supposed to be a 10-year deal with billion-dollar ambitions. The companies only joined forces in 2020, but after the initial announcement, the collaboration was slow to release clothing, launching only two items — a puffer jacket and a hoodie, both online exclusives — before Balenciaga joined the mix earlier this year.
The Yeezy Gap Engineered by Balenciaga collection has been more widely available, with Gap even rolling it out to retail stores. But the clothes and their presence in Gap’s physical spaces have felt jarringly disconnected from the brand’s core identity and clothing.
Those items will not be affected by any change in the agreement between Yeezy and Gap, according to the Journal. Gap can continue selling existing Yeezy Gap items and products from the Balenciaga collaboration.
It’s still unclear what ability West has to terminate the arrangement, but any outcome at this point could put further strain on Gap.
”Kanye’s decision to terminate his partnership with Gap will come as a blow to the brand, which had pinned its hopes on Kanye’s magic to help revitalise interest in its ailing business,” said Neil Saunders, managing director of research firm GlobalData, in an emailed statement. “It is also an embarrassment for Gap which announced the deal with the iconic artist with much fanfare.”
The sportswear giant caught lightning in a bottle with its Yeezy partnership, but the artist’s accusations against the company have turned the deal sour.
Clothes from the collaboration between Gap and rapper Kanye West went on sale in a physical Gap store for the first time today, in a blacked out space where clothes were piled into plastic bags.
Yeezy x Gap hoodies have quickly become the most traded streetwear items on StockX and are fetching premiums like those seen on Yeezy sneakers. But whether Yeezy can boost Gap overall is another question.
The company, which has come under fire for allegedly ripping off emerging designers’ work, has partnered with thousands of creatives through its SheinX programme. BoF spoke with participants about what it’s really like to work with the fast-fashion giant.
The brand’s quirky running sneakers are no longer a novelty as rivals like Nike, Adidas and On launch similar styles. Yet sales continue to soar as consumers embrace its winning formula of comfort, versatility and unconventional looks.
As digital advertising costs climb, fashion brands are embracing events like in-store happy hours, trunk shows and parties in various formats to generate brand awareness and drive sales.
The activewear brand’s revenue rose 24 percent year-over-year to $2 billion, reflecting growth driven by China, a successful loyalty programme and new categories