Dad hat wearers rejoice!
Gap Inc. announced Friday that the retailer is partnering with Kanye West to launch a new apparel line under his Yeezy brand; it will launch next year.
https://twitter.com/kanyewest/status/1276538686595895297?s=20
The new apparel line will be developed under West’s creative direction and “will be designed for men, women, kids and baby with a highly edited assortment under the Yeezy Gap label.
West, the newly minted billionaire that turned 43 earlier this month, owes much of his fortune from his Yeezy sneaker empire. he Gap moves stems from the fact that he retains sole ownership of Yeezy and that will continue going forward.
https://twitter.com/kanyewest/status/1276495666781528066?s=20
The Yeezy x Gap partnership comes on the heels of a June 2 filing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a Yeezy trademark on a wide range of cosmetics and personal care products, including makeup, hair dye, perfume and potpourri.
That’s right y’all, Yeezy is about to do it all.
The Deets
The Yeezy Gap partnership is intended to be a robust creative partnership with multi-season product development, according to reports.
West’s Yeezy brand has already gained popularity under its partnership with Adidas. In June 2016, the German sportswear company announced an expansion of their relationship with West, to develop more footwear, apparel and accessories.
From working at the Gap to now collaborating with them with your multi-billion dollar company. Yeezy szn @kanyewest #WESTDAYEVER pic.twitter.com/ZcHbiCgBRs
— VAUGHN ROBISON / V-ROB (@vrob330) June 26, 2020
This includes sport-friendly performance designs, after the success of the Yeezy for adidas Originals collection.
However, this is a dream deferred. As a teenager, West worked at a Gap store in Chicago as a sales clerk, according to a press release from Gap. In addition, at the 2019 Fast Company Innovation Festival, West also revealed that he was fired for shoplifting.
In his 2004 song “Spaceship” from his album “The College Dropout,” West in the second verse says, “Let’s go back, back to the Gap / Look at my check — wasn’t no scratch / So if I stole, wasn’t my fault / Yeah, I stole — never got caught / They take me to the back and pat me / Asking me about some khakis / But let some Black people walk in / I bet you they show off their token blackie / Oh, now they love Kanye ‘Let’s put him all in the front of the store.'”
In a statement, Mark Breitbard, Global Head of Gap Brand, said, “We are excited to welcome Kanye back to the Gap family as a creative visionary, building on the aesthetic and success of his Yeezy brand and together defining a next-level retail partnership.”
Kanye West has signed a 10 year deal with GAP so that he can bring his YEEZY label to the masses!🖤 pic.twitter.com/pXHWnY8MlL
— Outlander Magazine (@StreetFashion01) June 26, 2020
Gap has been reopening stores across North America since May with safety precautions in place to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
West is looking to capitalize on the hopeful return to the retail experience and obviously through teh online marketplace. Salute Kanye West for truly “getting out our dreams”.
