YZY GAP (an abbreviation of Yeezy Gap) is the name of Kanye West's clothing brand that is a partnership between Yeezy, Gap, and Balenciaga. As of January 2022, only two products have been released from the line, being a subject of an article by the Financial Times.[1]
History[]
In 2020, Kanye West "announced a 10-year deal with the all-American retailer Gap," which would allow Ye to release sellout and limited-edition exclusives at not only "a more attainable price point," but also wider distribution. Within the first 18 months of the partnership, only two products have been released.[1]
The Financial Times has attributed the delays to Ye struggling to keep his products under $100 ("his own stipulation, not Gap's"), and because he has swapped collaborators including Mowalola Ogunlesi who quit in 2021.[1]
Even through the delays, the few online store releases have garnered attention from fans and been popular.[1]
In August 2022, Kanye West began using Instagram to express his frustrations with working with Gap. He often complained about the company holding meetings without him, copying his designs for their own releases, and disagreements over how Yeezy Gap should be managed.[2] On September 12, West stated in an interview that he intended to terminate his partnership with Gap, saying, "It’s time for me to go it alone."
Three days later, on September 15, Yeezy notified Gap that it had breached its contract by failing to meet its obligations—specifically, by not opening dedicated Yeezy Gap retail stores. Gap CEO Mark Breitbard confirmed in a memo to employees that they would be slowing down the partnership but still planned to work through their Yeezy product pipeline. However, on October 25, following a series of antisemitic remarks made by West, Gap announced that it would stop selling Yeezy Gap products altogether and would not proceed with plans to sell off remaining stock after the contract ended.[3]
On February 22, 2024, Ye released several items from the collab on his yeezy.com website in Europe only, likely without permission from Gap. The items were sold for USD$20, lower than typical Yeezy Gap prices. the same day, he premiered a Super Bowl advertisement for his shop, which was a low budget phone recording of him speaking in his car.
Products[]
According to the Financial Times[1]:
- Puffer jacket (June 2021)
- Hooded sweatshirt (September 2021)