What Does the End of Yeezy Mean for the Sneakerverse?
With last month’s announcement that the brand would be parting ways with Kanye West, the world of sneaker culture has been thrown into chaos.
While West’s absence from his own line is certainly a major blow to the line’s reputation as a brand with a distinctive aesthetic, many in the industry are still hoping for the best for his brand, which is set to continue as West continues on his creative journey as an artist.
The biggest question is whether or not Kanye West and Adidas have any plans to collaborate on a Yeezy brand after his departure from the company.
The brand will be looking to fill the void left by Kanye, who made his name primarily as an artist whose songs can be heard on adidas’ Yeezy Boost models.
“Yeezy West has created an extraordinary piece of art, which has been a testament to the strength of his creative vision and to the strength of the Kanye West brand,” said the company’s Chief Creative Officer for Worldwide Partnerships, Paul Hirst, in a statement. “We are all very sad to see him leave the Yeezy brand, but he has created an enormous piece of music and artwork that will stay with the brand and his fans forever.”
However, as Adidas has not announced a timetable of when West will return to the company, the question of what will happen to Kanye’s brand is still just speculation. Adidas will now focus on West’s solo brand as his company moves forward with new collaborations and other creative projects.
With the news about West exiting the company, many are hopeful that his solo Yeezy line will continue as he attempts to rebuild his career by creating more unique designs.
Although Adidas could not confirm any plans regarding West’s brand, the brand has stated that it wants to continue to collaborate with Kanye and will continue to try work out new partnerships. Kanye’s new company, Yeezy x Adidas Originals, has been announced and its first collection will be released shortly.
In addition, a collaboration with Jordan Brand for the brand’s Air Jordan series is also expected to be announced this fall