Amidst the sheer, resolute and absolute chaos that led to the end of the collaboration between shoemaker Adidas and bigoted former rap superstar Kanye West, rumours have emerged that there are plans for a third sale of YEEZY brand rare sneakers.
After successful YEEZY sales in May and August of 2023, there are strong rumours of a third planned drop of the remaining stock that had remained in storage after the cancellation of the partnership in late 2022.
This has created some excitement, as there are several leaked but currently unreleased silhouettes and colourways that could be released by surprise, as was the case in August when the YEEZY 350 Blue Tint, a sought-after sneaker amongst collectors, dropped.
It is strongly believed that there is a lot of leftover stock left, given that Adidas announced that they had continued production on sneakers whilst they were in discussions about whether they could even be sold.
The reason why the partnership ended is by this point well-known and the decision to sell the sneakers, whilst welcomed by purveyors of rare and esoteric sneakers, is not one that has come without controversy.
Kanye West, after proclaiming a level of support for one of the most evil men of the 20th century and engaging in repeated bigoted rants, went from one of the most sought-after names in fashion to persona non grata, and whilst Adidas have cut ties, there are risks to selling the shoes.
By selling YEEZYs that had already been made, Ye would receive revenue as part of the agreement, and when the first rants were revealed, he even bragged that Adidas were dependent on his star power. Cutting ties cost the company over £1bn.
Adidas have tried to sidestep this by donating some of the leftover proceeds to the Anti-Defamation League, as well as the Philonise & Keeta Floyd Institute for Social Change, and tried to avoid the risk of association with Ye’s hateful rhetoric.
Whilst Ye himself owns the YEEZY brand and initially claimed to be planning to release his own line of sneakers, he has been relatively quiet regarding the Adidas sales, walking around places wearing just a pair of socks instead.
Exactly when and how this third sale will take place is a mystery but it is one that will likely be historic.
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