Adidas Is Rethinking Its Yeezy Deal With Kanye West

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Adidas Is Rethinking Its Yeezy Deal With Kanye West (2)
Adidas Is Rethinking Its Yeezy Deal With Kanye West (2)

German sportswear giant adidas is reassessing its relationship with Yeezy in response to Kanye West’s continued criticism of the company and its chief executive.

“After repeated efforts to privately resolve the situation, we have taken the decision to place the partnership under review. We will continue to co-manage the current product during this period,” the company said in a statement.

The company partnered with West in 2013 to manufacture and distribute Yeezy apparel — a relationship that has proven to be one of the most successful brand collaborations in the world, valued between $3.2 billion and $4.7 billion. However, almost a decade in, the two brands have hit a rough patch, with West accusing the sportswear company of copying his ideas and not giving him enough control over the adidas-Yeezy line.

“Kanye is our most important partner worldwide,” adidas’ outgoing CEO Kasper Rorsted said on August 4. “We have a very, very good relationship with him. We communicate with him on a very ongoing basis. And we’re very proud of that relationship.”

West, however, feels very differently. In an Instagram post, he wrote, “F——– ADIDAS I AM ADIDAS,” citing the company’s decision to review the partnership.

The review comes less than a month after Yeezy terminated its partnership with Gap, eight years before the planned termination date, for failing to meet contractual obligations of opening Yeezy-branded stores and not distributing Yeezy products in its physical stores.

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