Adidas' Kanye West ties: reason company is selling Yeezys again, why did they split from Ye - what did he say?

It might be months since German sportswear giant Adidas cut ties with Kanye West, but the company has started selling his Yeezy merchandise again - including sneakers and other shoes.

When Adidas parted ways with West, know known as Ye, in October as a result of his alleged antisemitic comments it may have been the end his most significant corporate fashion partnership. Adidas began collaborating with Ye nearly a decade ago after he left Nike. Its partnership with Yeezy, the artist’s company, which encompassed sneakers and clothing, was estimated to be worth billions, making it among the largest sources of Ye’s wealth, before the controversy began.

But, once the split had happened Adidas were left with millions of pairs of Yeezy shoes that they did not know what to do with. The stock has been in storage - until now. In a statement, Adidas said that they have decided to sell some of the remaining merchandise on its website. The Yeezy shoes are available to buy on the Adidas website now.

The brand also confirmed that "a significant amount" of the money made from the sales will be donated to selected organizations working to combat discrimination and hate, including racism and antisemitism, including the Anti-Defamation League and the Philonise and Keeta Floyd Institute for Social Change.

Why did Adidas split from Ye?

In a statement, the company said at the time: “Adidas does not tolerate antisemitism and any other sort of hate speech. Ye’s recent comments and actions have been unacceptable, hateful and dangerous, and they violate the company’s values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect and fairness.”

The company said it would take a “short-term” hit of €250m (£217m) to its income for 2022 after deciding to stop the brand’s business with immediate effect. It has also since ended production for products under West’s Yeezy brand and stopped all payments to the rapper and his companies.

Adidas originally put the partnership up for review after the Gold Digger producer’s controversial Paris show in October, where models walked the catwalk wearing “White Lives Matter” shirts.

The company was called out by one of its directors for how it dealt with Ye’s statements. Through a public LinkedIn post, Adidas Director of Trade Marketing, Sarah Camhi, who is of Jewish heritage, expressed that the brand needs to do better for its employees and community.

She said: “As a member of the Jewish community, I can no longer stay silent on behalf of the brand that employs me. Not saying anything, is saying everything.”

What did Kanye West say?

Twitter locked the rapper’s account on 9 October after it removed one of his tweets saying he was going “death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE”, saying it violated the service’s policies against hate speech.

The Facebook owner Meta restricted West’s Instagram account on 7 October after he made an antisemitic post on Friday (21 October) in which he appeared to suggest Sean Combs, also known as the rapper Diddy, was controlled by Jewish people, which is an antisemitic trope.

Following the tweet, the father-of-four also mentioned Dov Charney, founder of the Los Angeles apparel manufacturing company American Apparel, who is Jewish. According to West, Charney refused to release the rapper’s controversial “White Lives Matter’’ shirt shortly after West published the tweet. West added: “It’s [because] he’s Jewish, and this is my exact point that I’m making.

“Jewish people have owned the Black voice. Whether it’s through us wearing the Ralph Lauren shirt, or it’s all of us being signed to a record label, or having a Jewish manager, or being signed to a Jewish basketball team, or doing a movie on a Jewish platform like Disney”, he said.

Ted Deutch, chief executive of American Jewish Committee, said on 13 October: “Although some have tried, there is no rationale, no explaining away Kanye West’s rants on social media for anything else than what they are: vicious antisemitic statements that pose a clear and present danger to every Jewish person”.

His former partner, businesswoman and American media personality, Kim Kardashian said “Hate speech is never OK or excusable”, in response to his remarks.

What happened to Yeezys?

Adidas stopped production of Yeezy products after the controversies surrounding West erupted in October. At the time, a financial expert told NationalWorld that they thought this may increase the value of the shoes - and indeed the value of some models doubled on the re-sale market in the weeks and months that followed.

While Adidas did not release Yeezy sales numbers, Morningstar analyst David Swartz estimated the brand brought in close to $2 billion a year - leaving Adidas with lots of very expensive merchandise.

Since terminating the Yeezy partnership, Aadidas has been exploring multiple scenarios for the potential use of the existing Yeezy inventory, including reportedly burning it.

Adidas CEO Bjørn Gulden said: “After careful consideration, we have decided to begin releasing some of the remaining adidas YEEZY products. Selling and donating was the preferred option among all organizations and stakeholders we spoke to. We believe this is the best solution as it respects the created designs and produced shoes, it works for our people, resolves an inventory problem, and will have a positive impact in our communities. There is no place in sport or society for hate of any kind and we remain committed to fighting against it.”