In the beginning, say Adidas people who were there, the collaboration with Kanye West didn’t go so badly. From time to time, the US rapper would appear at the World of Sports, the sporting goods manufacturer’s headquarters in Herzogenaurach, where he would talk to designers and find inspiration in the company archives, where a pair of every shoe model from the company’s history is kept. In 2013, Adidas hired Kanye West to launch products with him.
Even then, “Ye” was considered capricious and difficult; He is said to be suffering from bipolar disorder. In other words: in one moment cheering to the skies or mega friendly, in the other saddened to death or aggressive. Genius and madness go hand in hand, says someone who has experienced it. Nevertheless, “the partnership between Adidas and Yeezy is one of the most successful collaborations in the history of our industry,” said a company spokeswoman on Friday. Which shouldn’t change the fact that it’s probably coming to an unpeaceful end.
Sporting goods brands are used to dealing with difficult personalities. For decades, it was enough for the PR of Nike, Adidas or Puma if famous athletes displayed their products, for a princely fee, of course. However, since sports shoes in particular have become part of everyday clothing and youth culture, the brands have increasingly signed musicians, actors and singers. Puma, for example, singer Rihanna or Adidas Pharrell Williams and Beyoncé. The stars attract young customers, especially when they develop their own collections with the brands. Adidas and Kanye West have been doing this since 2016.
A lucrative business for both sides. Adidas generates triple-digit million sales with Yeezys every year, while Kanye West earns so much money with it that some already doubt that this collaboration is the main source of income for the ex-husband of the no less dazzling Kim Kardashian. Nevertheless, the US rapper has been bulling in the direction of Herzogenaurach for months, preferably on social networks. Sometimes he demanded more posts and influence, then he attacked managers and supervisory boards, and when Adidas and CEO Kasper Rorsted recently announced their separation, Kanye West even announced the death of the company boss on Instagram.
He accuses Adidas of stealing his ideas and plagiarizing the design of his Yeezys for their own models. The company rejects this and is now pulling the rip cord. “We’re proud of our team that has worked tirelessly to collaborate with Kanye West and the iconic products that have resulted from it,” Adidas said diplomatically. However, “a successful partnership” is based “on mutual respect and common values”. Which is why “after repeated attempts to clarify the situation outside of the public eye” they decided to “put the partnership with Kanye West to the test”. Which indicates that it will probably end soon. Until then, Adidas wants to “continue to keep the current products” from the Yeezy collection. Kanye West responded to the announcement with the post: “Fuck Adidas, I’m Adidas, Adidas raped and stole my designs.”
In Paris, he organized his very own fashion show these days, in which models ran across the stage with the slogan “White Lives Matter”, which racist circles also like to use in this country. Adidas is annoyed by Kanye West in view of all this, cautiously worded. Just like the US fashion retailer GAP, whose collaboration with the rapper broke up just after two years. Each side claims to have canceled it.