How Kanye West Built a Sneaker Empire
Kanye West is a man of many talents. He is a lyrical genius, flamboyant performer, and fashion trendsetter. In addition to his indisputable impact on the rap culture, his Yeezy sneaker line is just as well known as his music. Stretching as far back as his 2006 sneaker collaboration with Bape, Yeezys have a strong lineage of releases in collaboration with the biggest brands in the streetwear industry. They have now become a household name, attracting the likes of consumers, celebrities, and athletes. Walking around my college campus, I never fail to see someone wearing a pair.
In 2015, my doubts were raised when Kanye famously said in an interview, “Eventually everybody who wants to get Yeezys will get Yeezys.” Even though I admired his bold decision to make his sneaker line widely accessible, I believed that this would ruin the overwhelming hype surrounding his sneaker line. Much of the industry values exclusivity, the feeling of being able to wear something that others don’t have access to. Like many other resellers at the time, I was worried about the brand’s future profitability.
It seems that no matter how many pairs Adidas decides to produce, demand is always through the roof.
Fast-forward to the present, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Despite releasing in an endless amount of models and colorways, Yeezy’s are more popular than ever. Release after release, they continue to sell out within mere seconds. It seems that no matter how many pairs Adidas decides to produce, demand is always through the roof. Although their resale values have dropped significantly, Yeezy’s tend to appreciate over time in the streetwear market, fetching a return similar to that of stocks. In short, Yeezy’s have stood the test of time, and demand will not fall off anytime soon.
Now you may be wondering, why is this the case? Kanye has always been a controversial figure, whether it be his interruption during Taylor Swift’s VMA speech in 2009 or his support of President Trump, resulting in a meeting of the two in 2018 with Kanye donning Trump’s distinctive red hat. Despite this, he is still revered by the younger generation, blowing up Twitter with his album releases and setting clothing trends by wearing simple monochromatic sweatsuits while running errands.
Kanye’s success roots from his natural talent to set trends, whether it be in music or fashion. His iconic 808s & Heartbreak album released in 2008 transformed the rap and R&B landscapes, featuring emotionally deep lyrics rich with puns and historical references. As his career progressed, Kanye released albums that continued to feature unique flows and sounds. They immediately deviate from the common beats found among other artists.
Kanye continues to challenge the status quo when he designs sneakers. For instance, the colorways of his Nike Air Yeezy 2 are now associated with him, such as the all-red color that is now featured widely throughout many other shoes. When Kanye left Nike and joined Adidas, his priority for comfort was reflected in his Yeezy 350 silhouette, which led to a wave of runners being released. When Kanye released the Yeezy 700 model, it was initially met with disgust from the general public, with comments criticizing the sneaker as something found at a Sketchers store. However, its clunkiness eventually started the “dad shoe” trend that other brands mimicked.
The list goes on and on. As Kanye continues to shock the sneaker world, brands soon follow suit and take advantage of the trend he has started. It leaves me thinking, what is the next shoe that Kanye has planned?
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