Kanye West has slammed Adidas for “blatantly copying” his Yeezy brand’s slider.
The shoes in question are the Adilette ’22. This model has a more organic shape, which is also a hallmark of Yeezy shoe design. West said in a now-deleted Instagram post that “this shoe is a counterfeit Yeezy made by Adidas itself,” and urged Kaspar Rørsted, managing director of the Herzogenaurach-based sports brand, to contact him.
Last year, UBS valued the Yeezy brand, with its partnerships with Adidas and Gap, at between $3 billion and $4 billion. Currently, Yeezy earns 15 percent of all footwear sales from the Adidas line. The partnership began in 2013 and the contract was extended in 2016 by 10 years to 2026. In 2020, Yeezy Adidas sales exceeded $1.7 billion, according to Front Office Sports.
West has previously criticized Adidas and Gap for the lack of diversity on their boards and has campaigned for seats at both companies.
This translated and edited post previously appeared on FashionUNited.uk.