In light of Kanye West and his increasingly controversial actions, Balenciaga has severed ties with the rapper.
Balenciaga has told Kanye West to Balencia-go. In light of the rapper’s increasingly controversial actions IRL and on social media, the luxury brand has severed ties with the rapper.
Shortly after publishing their third-quarter results, the company’s parent brand Kering told WWD that they would no longer be working with Ye – although they didn’t explicitly say that it was because of the rapper’s recent actions.
“Balenciaga has no longer any relationship nor any plans for future projects related to this artist,” the brand said. This brings an end to what has been a longstanding relationship between the luxury powerhouse – who have become internet icons with some truly out of left field pieces in recent times – and Ye.
In their most recent tie-up, Ye opened Balenciaga’s Summer 2023 show, where he was sporting battle-armour and what appeared to be a mouthguard. Balenciaga artistic director Demna also supervised a DONDA listening event as creative director in the run up to the album’s release.
The split also comes amidst Ye’s increasingly strained relationship with Adidas, with whom his partnership dates back 10 years. Earlier in October, the brand announced that their partnership with Yeezy was ‘under review’.
In June, West put the athleisure brand on blast for putting out ‘fake Yeezys’. Addressing Adidas CEO Kasper Rorsted in an IG post, he said: “To Kasper I’m not standing for this blatant copying no more To all sneaker culture To every ball player rapper or even if you work at the store.”
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Shortly after, he called the brand out for making up a Yeezy day without his approval. In a lengthy statement where he claimed Yeezy made for 68% of Adidas’ online sales, Ye claimed that the brand had not only made up the idea without running it past him, but also ‘hired people that worked for me,’ ‘stole my colourways,’ ‘stole my styles and material approaches’ without his approval.
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