Kanye West has teased a collaboration between his own Yeezy brand and GAP, marking what longtime fans will recognize as a lyrically documented full-circle moment.
Early Friday, West—using the hashtag #WESTDAYEVER—shared a photo in which clothes could be seen being pulled from a bag marked “developed by Yeezy and GAP.” The bag also listed the frequent location of current-era West projects, i.e. Wyoming:
https://twitter.com/kanyewest/status/1276462079625445382?s=20
Shortly after sharing that initial photo tease, West confirmed the “partnership” with the release of a new logo:
https://twitter.com/kanyewest/status/1276495666781528066?s=20
And following West’s tweets, interest in the pairing was already measurably palpable:
Gap up 12%, which implies a $400 million bump in valuation, all thanks to a deal with Kanye. https://t.co/VMyo5hzJ8l
— Jay Yarow (@jyarow) June 26, 2020
“We are excited to welcome Kanye back to the Gap family as a creative visionary, building on the aesthetic and success of his Yeezy brand and together defining a next-level retail partnership,” Mark Breitbard, Global Head of Gap Brand, said in a press release.
The Yeezy Gap line will consist of men, women, and kids pieces “at accessible price points” and is expected to launch in 2021. Additionally, the deal includes plans for West’s “design vision” to also be utilized in the rollout of “expressions” in Gap stores and digital channels.
Per the New York Times, the deal is for 10 years, with an option to renew after five. Gap is reportedly aiming to be bringing in $1 billion in annual Yeezy Gap-generated sales by the five-year mark. West’s Yeezy, meanwhile, stands to gain royalties and potential equity.
Of course, GAP got a lyrical mention on the 2004 College Dropout cut “Spaceship,” the first verse of which sees West lamenting the retail-based work experience before ultimately declaring his decision to leave it behind.
Earlier this month, West linked up with Pharrell Williams for a rare interview conducted as part of a special edition of i-D Magazine. During the discussion, Williams shared extended thoughts on the potential for history brought on by the COVID-19 era, ultimately prompting West to give his own take on how we all move forward from here.
For West, it represents an opportunity to readjust one’s focus.
“I believe that things can be simplified,” he said at the time. “We’re over inundated with everything and now we have the opportunity to readjust and focus on the essential and the simple things.”
West’s most recent solo music project, of course, was the Christianity-themed 2019 release Jesus Is King featuring the singles “Follow God” and “Closed on Sunday.” A sequel, seemingly featuring production from Dr. Dre, was later teased by West alongside a photo from the studio:
https://twitter.com/kanyewest/status/1196524372044861440?s=20
—COMPLEX