The group states that it intends to donate part of the proceeds.
Already in February this year, Adidas announced that they wanted to sell the existing Yeezy sneakers for 500 million dollars. However, the German group made it clear that these were only remaining stocks and that Adidas would no longer sell new designs by Kanye West. In October 2022, the sporting goods manufacturer ended its collaboration with the US rapper due to his anti-Semitic statements. On Wednesday, May 31st, the time had come: Adidas opened the digital gates to all sneaker heads worldwide and offered the remaining Yeezys for sale. These are available on the official website and in the CONFIRMED app.
Available designs include different versions of the Yeezy Boost 350 V2, the Foam Runner, and the Yeezy Slide, among others. According to the press release, the proceeds of the campaign will not go entirely into the company’s pockets. “The company will donate a significant amount to select organizations working against discrimination and hate, including racism and anti-Semitism,” the statement said.
Why is Adidas selling the shoes after all?
Adidas CEO Bjørn Gulden commented: “After careful consideration, we have decided to start selling a portion of the remaining adidas YEEZY products. Selling and donating was the preferred option for every organization and stakeholder we spoke to. We believe this is the best solution as it values the designs created and shoes produced, works for our employees, solves an inventory problem and will have a positive impact on our communities. Hatred of any kind has no place in sport and society and we continue to fight against it.”
On Twitter, some followers of the designs reacted to the release of the shoes. “Why are all these Yeezys going on sale?” wondered one user.
“Adidas doesn’t need to release all those Yeezys today,” added another with a crying emoji.