Kanye West Is On The Cusp Of Potentially Losing Another Major Partnership
Kanye "Ye" West continues to be at the center of controversy. He's never been one to shy away from speaking his mind, but his recent opinions might mean the end of a huge business partnership.
The designer recently attended Paris Fashion Week, hosting a surprise Yeezy show to showcase his new collection. The show came after West filed to trademark the name "YZYSPLY", pronounced as "Yeezy Supply – a small move in a larger goal to apparently expand his business. However, it was West's own fashion choice that put him back in hot water. West was seen wearing a "White Lives Matter" shirt during the show, which immediately caused an uproar online. The rapper-turned-designer even went as far as to call the Black Lives Matter movement a "scam," according to Page Six.
With the new backlash online behind West's statements, it appears that a longtime business partner of the rapper may have finally had enough.
Kanye West's partnership with Adidas is 'under review'
If you're a fan of Kanye West's Yeezy shoes, you had better grab them while you can. Though Ye may have a new Yeezy collection with Adidas, the sportswear company is reportedly questioning their partnership with him because of his recent comments. According to CNBC, the company reportedly has placed the partnership "under review" upon "repeated efforts to privately resolve the situation." According to a company statement, Adidas, which has been in partnership with West since 2013, "will continue to co-manage the current product during this period."
Ye's sneaker and apparel lines with both Gap and Adidas have been valued between $3.2 billion and $4.7 billion. However, West has reportedly been desiring more creative control, and was contemplating opening his own stores. After a few contentious years, West recently ended his partnership with Gap, the company behind his most recent apparel collections. "It's time for me to go it alone," he recently shared in an interview with Bloomberg. "No more companies standing in between me and the audience."
However, after the report came out that Adidas reconsidering its future with West, the Yeezy founder slammed the company on social media. "I am Adidas. Adidas ... stole my designs." he claimed on Instagram. It appears that West may just be happy to move forward without any companies backing him anymore.