Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, has decided that he no longer wants to work with companies like Adidas and Gap for his fashion ventures.
In a new interview with Bloomberg, the multi-hyphenate shared that it’s time for him to go solo in the style world. “It’s time for me to go it alone,” he told the publication. “It’s fine. I made the companies money. The companies made me money. We created ideas that will change apparel forever. Like the round jacket, the foam runner, the slides that have changed the shoe industry. Now it’s time for Ye to make the new industry. No more companies standing in between me and the audience.”
However, Ye still has a contract with Adidas, with which he created sneakers like the Yeezy Boost 350, that expires in 2026. His apparel line with Gap Inc. expires in 2030. “They my new baby mamas,” he said in response. “I guess we’re just going to have to co-parent those 350s.”
In June, West called out Adidas CEO Kasper Rørsted for “blatant copying,” sharing a photo of the sportswear company’s $55 Adilette 22 sandals, which bear a resemblance in colorway and general feel to Ye’s $70 Yeezy Slides, which are also produced by Adidas.
“No one should be held in that position where people can steal from them and say we’re just paying you to shut up,” Ye told Bloomberg. “That destroys innovation. That destroys creativity. That’s what destroyed Nikola Tesla.”
He also called out the Gap in several Instagram posts — which are since deleted — accusing the clothing brand of holding a meeting about the rapper without him present. In another message, he shared the screenshot of a text discussion in which one message alleged Gap was “copying” a Yeezy Gap Engineered by Balenciaga T-shirt design for Gap’s own oversized logo T-shirt.
“Every step of my career there was something in the way,” he said. “They did the dream, but just without Ye.”
According to Bloomberg, West wants to open Donda campuses nationwide that will have shopping, schools, farms and dorms. Products sold at the campuses will be unique to Yeezy’s physical and online shops and designed by Yeezy staff.
