After months of speculation, Adidas has finally confirmed the date for its annual August release of Yeezy products.
The company revealed that the official sale of leftover stock will begin today (August 2), and that Yeezy releases will continue throughout the whole month as part of a “phased release”. Yeezy trainers, shoes, and sandals will be released on different days to “help manage demand whilst ensuring a fair and premium experience for consumers”.
For the past four years, Adidas has released new stock of the highly sought-after Yeezy shoes — a fashion collaboration between Adidas and Kanye West — in early August.
However, in October 2022, Adidas announced that it had terminated the collaboration with immediate effect after the rapper made antisemitic remarks across various media outlets.
Shutting down the label contributed to Adidas warning it expected its first annual loss in 31 years in 2023, which had generated €1.7bn (£1.5bn) in sales and close to €700m in operating profit in 2022.
The German sportswear brand said in May it would not destroy the unsold merchandise from the now-defunct partnership with West, who changed his name to Ye in 2021, and would instead try to sell the stock and donate some of the proceeds to those harmed by the rapper’s comments.
But what is Yeezy Day and what has Kanye West said about it?
What is Yeezy Day?
Yeezy Day is an annual day created by Adidas to launch highly anticipated Yeezy trainers.
Since 2019, it has been observed annually in the US on August 2, while new shoes will be released in Europe on August 3.
On Yeezy Day, Adidas usually release new and restocked styles, giving sneakerheads a chance to get their hands on Yeezy trainers at retail price.
However, this year they will be releasing leftover stock after terminating their collaboration with West.
Adidas confirmed that the YEEZY BOOST 350 V2, adidas YEEZY BOOST 500, and adidas YEEZY BOOST 700 V3 will all be dropping in August 2023 alongside new colourways of the YEEZY SLIDE and FOAM RUNNER.
The shoes go on sale on the Adidas Confirmed app and the Yeezy supply website. But fashionistas need to pay attention: the shoes typically launch with little to no warning, and demand will be high.
Those hoping to snag a pair of Yeezy trainers this Yeezy day will need to move quickly.
Adidas has committed to donating “a significant amount” of the proceeds from the sales to organisations working to combat discrimination and hate.
What has Kanye West said about Yeezy Day?
Last summer, Kayne West told Complex magazine via an Instagram message that Adidas created Yeezy Day without his approval, and accused the sportswear brand of a number of wrongdoings.
West said Adidas also brought back older styles, picked colours, named shoes, hired people, stole colourways, styles and material approaches, among other things, all without his approval.
The rapper also wrote: “Even though they did a Balenciaga collaboration they completely slowed down production on the shoes me and Demna developed for Gap by trying to bully Gap even though my contract states I can do casual shoes which I was doing when I did fashion shows.
“When I originally ordered Adidas to make more Yeezy slides the [general manager] lied to my face and said they didn’t have the capacity. Meanwhile Adidas was copying my slides and making their own version of the Yeezy slide.”
West also claimed that: “Yeezy is 68% of Adidas online sales.”
Adidas hasn’t publically addressed these latest comments. The Evening Standard has contacted the company for a response.
