As the business reaction against Kanye West grows, Gap has announced that it is discontinuing the rapper’s Yeezy Gap line of clothing and has shut down YeezyGap.com. In addition, Foot Locker is removing Yeezy merchandise from its stores.
“Our former partner’s recent remarks and behavior further underscore why we are taking immediate steps to remove Yeezy Gap product from our stores,” the retailer said in a statement Tuesday.
Retailers, social media platforms, celebrities, and fashion and entertainment organizations have withdrawn from commercial agreements with West recently, citing antisemitic statements on a podcast and on Twitter, among other contentious conduct.
“Antisemitism, racism and hate in any form are inexcusable and not tolerated following our values. On behalf of our customers, employees and shareholders, we are partnering with organizations that combat hate and discrimination,” Gap announced.
Gap’s steps come after Adidas said on Tuesday that it was ending its collaboration with West, who has legally changed his name to Ye, with “immediate effect.”
On Tuesday, a spokesperson for retailer Foot Locker (FL) stated that, while the company “remains a partner with adidas and carries a wide assortment of their collections – we will not be supporting any future Yeezy product drops, and we have instructed our retail operators to pull any existing product from our shelves and digital sites.”
Gap Inc. (GPS) and Kanye West announced that they were ending a 10-year association with his design label Yeezy that began in 2020.
The first Yeezy Gap item was a $200 jacket, which sold out immediately online when it was released. The brand’s subsequent releases, including other coats and hoodies, sold out quickly.
West extended his Yeezy Gap line by collaborating with premium fashion giant Balenciaga to develop the “Yeezy Gap Engineered By Balenciaga” collection. The collection debuted at Gap stores for the first time in July.
West said in mid-September that he terminated his agreement with Gap due to “serious noncompliance.” Balenciaga announced its separation from Ye last week.
In a statement issued in September, the rapper’s lawyer, Nicholas Gravante, stated that West was left with “no choice but to terminate their collaboration” because the retailer breached their partnership by not opening branded Yeezy stores and distributing his apparel as originally planned, among other issues.
Gap acknowledged the same day that it had canceled the Yeezy collaboration. However, the firm had previously stated that existing items will continue to be sold in its stores and on its online until the first half of 2023, a decision it has since overturned.