Adidas and Kanye West have officially ended their “fight” over antisemitic comments made by the rapper in 2022, which led to the termination of their “Yeezy” collaboration. The sports brand discontinued the collection at the time and started selling off Yeezy stock at wholesale prices.
However, on Tuesday, Adidas announced that they had reached a settlement with Kanye West to end all legal proceedings between them. Adidas chief executive Bjorn Gulden stated, “There [aren’t] any more open issues and there is no money going either way.”
Gulden also mentioned that the tensions between the two parties have been resolved, and the drama with West “belongs to the past.” Ending the partnership has left Adidas with Yeezy stock worth around €1.2bn (£840m), which will be sold in batches with proceeds donated to NGOs, including Adidas’ own anti-discrimination foundation.
The decision to move on from the conflict marks a stark contrast to 2022 when Adidas stated they do not tolerate antisemitism and hate speech. Kanye West’s accounts were suspended on social media platforms after making a series of antisemitic comments and expressing admiration for Adolf Hitler.
Despite the controversy, demand for Yeezy products remained strong in the resale market, with many trainers selling for hundreds or thousands of pounds. The final Yeezy stocks will be sold by the end of 2024, according to Adidas.
The collaboration between Adidas and Kanye West began in 2014 and led to a successful sportswear brand. Kanye West, who has been open about his struggles with bipolar disorder, has now moved on from the partnership with Adidas as both parties look towards the future.
