Kayne West met with the Gap Inc. board of directors and gave an ultimatum. The artist, in a video posted to Instagram Wednesday, laid out his vision. “We can do it with this team. We need to be the highest energy brand in the mall,” Ye told the Gap board.
The designer further warned the board, “I love Gap…You have to really give me the position to Ye and do what I’m thinking or I’m going to have to do what I’m thinking somewhere else.”
Ye recall it is “insane” that they cancelled the pre-orders of a jacket and that they didn’t use the 3 million adidas email addresses he has access to. Furthermore, Ye said it was insane that Gap didn’t have fashion show and that they sold 14 million hoodies off one commercial by never played another ad.
“This is the moment. There will never be an opportunity with a guy like me that cares this much about this brand and has done this much at this point.”
Kayne West during meeting with Gap Inc. Board of Directors
It felt like trouble was brewing a day earlier when Ye posted “Gap held a meeting about me with me?” on Instagram. Furthermore, the photo he shared was of a pair of YZY GAP sunglasses.
Later Wednesday evening, Ye announced he was going to open Yeezy stores worldwide. Furthermore, Atlanta would be the first city to get a Yeezy bricks and mortar location. Ye crowd sourced ideas on who would be best to open the store. In addition, the “City of Gods” artist took pitches from “anyone who has over 10 years retail experience and is ready to change the world.”
Interestingly, Ye recently filed a trademark application for a new logo. Specifically, the logo would be used in connection with selling clothing, footwear and accessories, according to Josh Gerben.
Yeezy Bricks & Mortar
“I signed with both adidas and Gap because it contractually stated they would build permanent stores which neither company has done even though I saved both of those companies at the same time.”
Kayne West, via Instagram on August 31, 2022
Ye had just seen his vision of YEEZY GAP product in physical stores in July. A select number of Gap stores offer the YEEZY GAP Engineered by Balenciaga product. It seemed that Ye referenced Simon Properties owner David Simon calling the pared down number of locations “bullshit.” However, Ye desires a permanent retail presence and is open to offers. Lawrence Berger, of Mitchell & Ness, wrote Ye to pitch a “serious conversation”. Berger touted his success running 1,300 Lids locations- what he called “the hottest retail stores out there”. Ye shared the message on Instagram after posting his Gap meeting.
YEEZY GAP
The first YEEZY GAP Engineered by Balenciaga pieces arrived in February. This was following successful sold out releases of the Perfect Hoodie and Round Jacket.
In the initial announcement of the partnership on June 26, 2020, Gap said:
Kanye West, a multi-industry creative entrepreneur, is poised to disrupt retail by bringing his YEEZY brand to millions of customers around the world through a partnership announced today with the iconic and globally recognized Gap brand. The YEEZY Gap line is expected to appear in Gap stores and Gap.com in 2021.
Kayne worked in Gap store was a teen growing up, so this deal was personal. The retailer describes the partnership as “combining forces of two cultural icons.”
