Adidas planning on releasing Yeezy products without Yeezy
Adidas has indicated that it will still release products it has designed as part of its alliance with Kanye West and his Yeezy fashion brand, but without any Yeezy branding, obviously.The rapper’s long-running partnership with the sportswear brand was already falling apart before West began his recent splurge of controversial bullshit.Once that splurge was underway, Adidas said in a statement: “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”.As it issued that statement last month, the sports company also noted that it is “the sole owner of all design rights to existing products as well as previous and new colourways under the partnership”.That was reiterated by the firm’s Chief Financial Officer Harm Ohlmeyer during an investor call yesterday. And, according to Business Insider, the CFO added “we intend to make use of these rights as early as 2023”.Ohlmeyer was reluctant to provide any more information on what that meant, although was asked whether the firm had considered the potential reputation risk of releasing these products without West’s involvement, and any angry ranting from the rapper that might instigate.