U.S. retailer Gap has announced plans for a 10-year partnership with Kanye West‘s Yeezy label. The multi-year deal was signed on Thursday (June 25, 2020) and will include apparel for men, women and children. The Yeezy Gap line will be available in physical store and online starting in 2021.
This partnership is described as a full circle moment for West who worked in a Gap store as a teen growing up in Chicago.
“We are excited to welcome Kanye back to the Gap family as a creative visionary, building on the aesthetic and success of his Yeezy brand and together defining a next-level retail partnership,” said Mark Breitbard, global head of Gap Brand.
West has had his eye on Gap for quite some time. In 2015, he told Style, “I’d like to be the Steve Jobs of the Gap. I’m not talking about a capsule. I’m talking about full Hedi Slimane creative control of the Gap.”
Creative direction will be lead by designer Mowalola designer Mowalola Ogunlesi with a focus on delivering modern, elevated basics for men, women and kids at accessible price points. Additionally, West’s design vision will extend to unique Yeezy Gap expressions in Gap stores and digital channels over time.
Kanye West maintains sole ownership of the Yeezy brand which was recently valued at $2.9 billion in April 2020. While Yeezy has a multi-year partnership with Adidas, the agreement doesn’t include apparel.
The Gap and Yeezy contracts builds in performance metrics, allowing for additional royalties and potential equity related to sales achievement.
Image above Liam Goodner for Shutterstock.
Check out the official Yeezy Gap logo below.
#WESTDAYEVER pic.twitter.com/ASMwbx7T2o
— ye (@kanyewest) June 26, 2020
YEEZY X GAP pic.twitter.com/wGPYuy6kl7
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) June 26, 2020
