Kanye West Is Escorted Out of Skechers Office After Showing Up "Unannounced"

West seems to be on the hunt for another sportswear partner after the loss of his deal with Adidas. On Wednesday, 26 Oct., Skechers released a statement saying the rapper showed up "unannounced and uninvited" to its corporate offices in Los Angeles. Because he had a camera crew present and was unauthorised to film, Skechers says he was escorted away from the premises.

As for a possible partnership, Skechers declined immediately. "Skechers is not considering and has no intention of working with West," the company said. "We condemn his recent divisive remarks and do not tolerate antisemitism or any other form of hate speech."

Adidas has ended its partnership with West effective immediately. The German sportswear giant released a statement on 25 Oct., saying it "does not tolerate antisemitism and any other sort of hate speech." They went on to say his "unacceptable, hateful and dangerous" antisemitic comments violated the company's "values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect and fairness."

They will cease sales and production of his products and will no longer pay West or his companies, resulting in a $246 million loss in sales.

West's relationship with Adidas has been troubled for some time. After he publicly accused the company of "copying" his designs, the sportswear giant released a statement on 7 Oct., saying the partnership is under review. "After repeated efforts to privately resolve the situation, we have taken the decision to place the partnership under review. We will continue to co-manage the current product during this period," it read.

But after West made several dangerous antisemitic remarks, activists began calling for Adidas to sever ties with West altogether. On a 16 Oct. episode of "Drink Champs," hosted by N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN on Revolt TV, West declared, "I can say antisemitic things, and Adidas can't drop me. Now what? Now what?" The video has since been removed.

Following the episode's release, #BoycottAdidas trended on Twitter and the Anti-Defamation League wrote a letter urging Adidas to sever ties with the rapper.

Adidas first announced its partnership with West in 2013, with the designer releasing his inaugural Yeezy collection in 2015. Bloomberg reports that the partnership earned $1.7 billion in revenue in 2020 alone.

On Friday, 21 Oct., Balenciaga formally distanced itself from West, releasing a statement to Women's Wear Daily on the matter. "Balenciaga has no longer any relationship nor any plans for future projects related to this artist," Kering, Balenciaga's parent company, said.

The French fashion house had a long and mutually beneficial relationship with the "Black Skinhead" rapper. Ye worked with creative director Demna on his now defunct Yeezy Gap Engineered by Balenciaga collection. He also walked in the brand's Spring 2023 presentation at Paris Fashion Week, opening the show in a military-style jacket. Most notably, Ye dressed Kardashian almost exclusively in Balenciaga's designs during the latter part of their marriage, and Kardashian now stars in the fashion house's latest ad campaign.

Vogue is also distancing itself from Ye. Following his antisemitic comments, a spokesperson for the publication told Page Six that the magazine and editor-in-chief Anna Wintour have no plans to work with the Yeezy designer again.

This statement comes weeks after Ye targeted Vogue editor-at-large Gabriella Karefa-Johnson for her commentary on his "White Lives Matter" T-shirt design. After Ye criticised her personal style and declared that she's "not a fashion person," Wintour reportedly arranged a meeting between the rapper and editor, filmed by Baz Luhrmann. That footage was never published.

Later, Vogue released a statement in Karefa-Johnson's defence, saying: "Vogue stands with Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, our global fashion editor at large and longtime contributor. She was personally targeted and bullied. It is unacceptable. Now more than ever, voices like hers are needed and in a private meeting with Ye today she once again spoke her truth in a way she felt best, on her terms." Throughout their 10-year relationship, Ye appeared on the cover of Vogue alongside his then-wife Kardashian, and enjoyed a regular invitation to the annual Met Gala hosted by Wintour.

Ye parted ways with Gap in September 2022. The rapper wrote a termination letter to the mass retailer, ending the collaboration and citing breach of contract as Gap failed to open stores that exclusively sell Yeezy products. Gap reportedly hoped its partnership with Ye, which began in 2020, would last 10 years and generate upwards of $1 billion in sales annually. In reality, it lasted a mere two years and was fraught with controversy.

Gap allegedly will continue to sell existing Yeezy Gap products, including a line created for the festive season, through to early 2023.