Fashion house Balenciaga will no longer be working on projects with the rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, who has made an increasing number of controversial public comments in recent weeks. The comments included threats against Jewish people. Parent company Kering made the announcement following the publication of its third-quarter results on Thursday,
In a statement, Kering said, “Balenciaga has no longer any relationship nor any plans for future projects related to this artist,” Business of Fashion reported. Sporting brand Adidas has also said it was putting its nine-year-long relationship with him under review. On September 15, shortly after Ye claimed that he had cut ties with Gap, the retailer too confirmed that its 10-year partnership with Yeezy had come to an end.
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Ye has a long history with Balenciaga, largely due to his close relationship with its creative director, Demna. Ye had established a strong working relationship with Demna and collaborated with him on his Yeezy Gap collection. Last year, he hired Demna to serve as the creative director for his Donda album listening parties hosted in Atlanta and Las Vegas. Over the years, Demna frequently dressed Ye and his family.
In a mud pit during Paris Fashion Week, the rapper launched Balenciaga’s summer 2023 show while sporting what appeared to be combat gear, including a branded mouthguard. The picture was removed from the Balenciaga website.
Since organizing a surprise YZY gig in Paris with T-shirts with the phrase “White Lives Matter” and opening with a speech in which he boasted of being “unmanageable,” the rapper, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2016, appears to be spiraling. Demna has yet to make any public statement about his and Ye’s relationship since the controversial show in Paris.
