Kanye West might be getting into the retail business.
In two applications filed last month at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the superstar rapper’s Mascotte Holdings asked the agency to issue trademark registrations on the terms “YZYSPLY” and “YEEZY SUPPLY” saying he would use them on both retail stores and wide range of potential apparel.
Ye and his Yeezy fashion company already have long-term partnerships with both Gap, for a line of casual apparel, and Adidas, for a line of sneakers and sandals. But his relationship with Adidas appears to be fraying, after he publicly criticized the German giant last month for ripping off the design of his footwear.
As is typical, the trademark applications contained little specific information about Kanye’s plans for using the YZYSPLY name. They were filed as “intent to use” applications, meaning Yeezy has not yet started selling anything under that name but as a “bona fide intent” to do so at some point in the future.
The applications were first reported by TMZ. A rep for Kanye did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
West first started collaborating with brands in 2000s, working with Bape in 2007 and Nike for several years after that. He launched his popular partnership with Adidas in 2015, and signed a ten-year deal with Gap in 2020.
According to a March 2021 valuation by the bank UBS, the Yeezy brand is worth between $3.2 billion to $4.7 billion.
