Following the massive success of Yeezy, Adidas found itself in a tough spot and had to sever ties with Kanye West. The reason? Ye’s line of anti-Semitic remarks not only led to Adidas cutting him loose but also caused a ripple effect, affecting several other partnerships, including Gap. The fallout even took a toll on his billionaire status. To make amends, Adidas had to offload the remaining stock and donate the proceeds to a charity dedicated to combating hate speech.

Now, taking a retrospective glance, three hosts from the Complex Sneakers show delved deep into the ways in which this bout of anti-Semitism had shackled Yeezy’s soaring success.

The Kanye West catastrophic fallout of the Yeezys

During The Complex Sneakers show, the three hosts delved into the discussion of Ye’s Nike Air Yeezy 1 and the catastrophic downfall of Yeezy’s brand. Ye’s Grammy-winning sneakers were initially sold for a whopping $1.8 billion through a private sale to the company Rares, only to be resold at a 90% discount. Rares, in an attempt to sell the sneakers at Christie’s, had high hopes of fetching $2.5 million.

However, because of Ye’s anti-Semitic remarks, the sale had to be abruptly canceled. As the conversation unfolded, one of the hosts, Matthew Welty, could not help but exclaim, “It’s just so nuts!”. Rares’ decision to attempt reselling the very sneakers worn by Ye, even in the wake of his career’s plummet due to anti-Semitic remarks, seemed incredibly ill-advised. As per Welty, Ye was experiencing a low point in his career, and the collectibles market was in dire straits. Trying to unload the shoes during that challenging period appeared unwise unless the company was in desperate need of cash.

Notably, Adidas raked in millions from Yeezys after its split with Ye.

Adidas the winner amidst the breakup with Ye

Adidas reported impressive sales of Yeezy shoes with a 30% surge despite parting ways with West due to his controversial comments. They pledged to donate part of the proceeds to anti-hate charities. The demand for Yeezys remained high, helping narrow Adidas’ projected loss for the year from $771 million. They also allocated $1.2 billion for charitable contributions.

Some experts, however, believe that selling the remaining Yeezy stock was a short-term solution for a brand that has lost some of its market relevance. Despite their efforts to address the situation, Adidas is facing a lawsuit from investors who claim the company knew about Ye’s issues before ending their partnership. Adidas vehemently denied these allegations and expressed their determination to defend themselves vigorously.

Do you agree with Welty’s views? Let us know in the comments below.