by Balenciaga has broken off its collaboration with Kanye West amid the rapper’s latest controversies, including his recent antisemitic posts on social media that resulted in his suspension from Twitter and Instagram.
“Balenciaga no longer has any relationship or plans for future projects related to this artist,” said Kering, the fashion brand’s parent company. Daily Women’s Clothing in a statement on Friday. The statement did not provide a specific reason for the decision.
The “Jesus Walks” rapper has been linked to Balenciaga for a long time, even opening and hit the runway for the fashion house’s summer 2023 show during Paris Fashion Week earlier this month. Balenciaga creative director Demna also collaborated with Ye on his Yeezy Gap Designed of the Balenciaga line.
Neither Kering nor Balenciaga immediately responded to HuffPost’s request for comment.
West’s relationships with other fashion brands also appear to be in trouble. Earlier this month, Adidas AG put West’s huge sneaker deal under review.
And last month, YE cancelled its lucrative two-year partnership with Gap, citing conflicting pricing and poor communication. He also said that the company was outselling its items compared to its typical collections.
“Gap’s material breach of its contractual obligations has been costly,” said West’s attorney, Nicholas Gravante. he told CNN in a statement at the time, claiming the chain had not opened Yeezy-branded stores as part of the partnership.
Gravante added that the rapper “was left with no choice but to end their collaboration” and that he would now “quickly move on to make up for lost time by opening Yeezy retail stores.”
Before tweeting I would say “death scammer”. [sic] 3 on the JEWISH PEOPLE” last Saturday, West wore a “White Lives Matter” T-shirt during Paris Fashion Week.
“White Lives Matter” is categorized as a hate slogan for the Anti-Defamation League. The Southern Poverty Law Center calls it “a racist response to the Black Lives Matter civil rights movement.”
During an appearance on Fox News’ “Tucker Carlson Tonight” on October 11, Ye defended his decision to wear the shirt, telling Carlson, “I do certain things for a feeling, I just channel the energy. It just feels good. He is using a gut instinct, a connection to God, and just brilliance.”
He added: “People are looking for an explanation and [they] say: ‘Well, as an artist you don’t have to give an explanation’, but as a leader, yes. So the answer to why I wrote ‘White Lives Matter’ on a t-shirt is because they do. It’s the obvious.”
Celebrities like Hailey Beiber and Gigi Hadid and Vogue editor Gabriella Karefa-Johnson were quick to criticize West for his controversial fashion statements.
during a appearance in Piers Morgan uncensoredOn Wednesday, Ye issued an apology for his comments about the Jewish people, but said “absolutely [does] no” I regret having done them.
