Kanye West rapped about his experiences working at The Gap on “Spaceship,” one of the most popular records from his 2004 debut album “The College Dropout.” And now, the musician-turned-designer has inked a deal with the fashion company.
West announced the partnership on his Twitter account this morning by sharing an image of the brand’s famed blue box logo with “YZY” replacing the word “GAP.” His all-caps caption read, “YEEZY AND GAP FORM PARTNERSHIP #WESTDAYEVER.”
According to a statement, this new apparel partnership will yield a Yeezy Gap line, which is expected to appear in Gap stores and on Gap.com in 2021. The terms of the partnership, Gap said, would give Yeezy royalties and potential equity related to sales achievement.
The partnership, according to Gap, will use the “creativity, fashion leadership, global recognition and energy” he has created with Yeezy and fuel it with its “51 years of expertise, 88% brand awareness, global reach and best-in-class supply chain.”
West’s Yeezy design studio will develop the Gap line “to deliver modern, elevated basics for men, women and kids at accessible price points,” according to the statement, and his design vision for Yeezy Gap will also be seen in stores and on the brand’s digital platforms.
Gap said this partnership brings the company’s relationship with West full circle, who worked at one of the brand’s stores in Chicago during his teenage years. “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,” said Mark Breitbard, global head of Gap Brand, in a statement.
The announcement of the Yeezy Gap line comes as images of new West-designed footwear looks with Adidas flood social media. Yesterday, for instance, sneaker leak social media account Yeezy Mafia revealed six new Adidas Yeezy Boost 380 colorways for fall ’20 including “Pepper,” “Calcite Glow,” “Onyx,” Azure,” “Lmnte” and “Hylte Glow.”
