Enough is enough. Gap will remove Yeezy Gap products from their storefronts amid Kanye West‘s controversial behavior and recent anti-semitic remarks.
In a statement to Us Weekly on Tuesday, October 25, the retailer said the company is “taking immediate steps to remove Yeezy Gap products from our stores and we have shut down YeezyGap.com.”
Gap added: “Antisemitism, racism and hate in any form are inexcusable and not tolerated in accordance with our values. On behalf of our customers, employees and shareholders, we are partnering with organizations that combat hate and discrimination.”
The brand’s decision comes after West, 45, announced his plans to terminate his relationship with Gap in September. Gap echoed similar sentiments at the time.
Yeezy and Gap’s partnership was unveiled in 2020. Together, the brands rolled out a selection of hoodies and T-shirts — as well as a $200 puffer coat, which sold out in hours. The two then joined forces with Balenciaga on Yeezy Gap Engineered by Balenciaga collection. The “Graduation” artist teamed up with Balenciaga’s creative director, Demna, on the eight-piece Yeezy Gap collection. The line featured two drops, which were unveiled in February and May, respectively.
Gap joins a list of brands that have publicly severed their ties with West.
Earlier on Tuesday, Adidas condemned the Chicago native’s offensive comments.
“Adidas does not tolerate antisemitism and any other sort of hate speech,” the company said in a statement. “Ye’s recent comments and actions have been unacceptable, hateful and dangerous, and they violate the company’s values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect and fairness.”
The statement continued: “After a thorough review, the company has taken the decision to terminate the partnership with Ye immediately, end production of Yeezy branded products and stop all payments to Ye and his companies. Adidas will stop the Adidas Yeezy business with immediate effect.”
Weeks prior, Adidas revealed that its partnership with the hip-hop producer was “under review.”
Balenciaga has also spoken out. “Balenciaga has no longer any relationship nor any plans for future projects related to this artist,” Kering — the parent company of the fashion brand — told Women’s Wear Daily in a Friday, October 21, statement.
Though West has long been known to share outlandish messages, he found himself in hot water when he wore a “White Lives Matter” T-shirt as he unveiled his Yeezy season 9 collection during Paris Fashion Week.
Despite intense backlash, the Grammy winner defended his outfit choice. “People, they’re looking for an explanation and [they] say, ‘Well, as an artist you don’t have to give an explanation,’ but as a leader, you do. So, the answer to why I wrote ‘White Lives Matter’ on a shirt is because they do. It’s the obvious thing,” he argued during an October 6 appearance on Fox News’ Tucker Carlson Tonight.
West later doubled down on his stance and shared a string of anti-semitic messages. “This ain’t a game. Ima use you as an example to show the Jewish people that told you to call me that no one can threaten or influence me. I told you this was war,” the Grammy winner told Diddy in a since-deleted Instagram post earlier this month.
He caused further controversy on October 17 while appearing on Drink Champs. In the since-deleted episode, West alleged that George Floyd, who was killed after being pinned to the ground under the knee of Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin, died of a fentanyl overdose and pre-existing conditions.
West apologized for his behavior during a Wednesday, October 19, appearance on Piers Morgan Uncensored — but said he “absolutely” doesn’t regret his anti-Semitic comments. “I feel like I caused hurt and confusion,” he noted. “And I’m sorry for the families of the people that had nothing to do with the trauma that I had been through, and that I used my platform where you say hurt people hurt people. I was hurt.”
