Adidas to review partnership with Kanye West
Adidas, the German sportswear giant, reviewed its partnership with Kanye West on Friday, after the US rapstar sparked outrage by wearing a “White Lives Matter” T-shirt to Paris Fashion Week.
In a statement, the company stated,
We have taken the decision to place the partnership under review.
The artist, now known as Ye, was widely lambasted for wearing a T-shirt that was also shown as part of his collection in Paris earlier this week.
When asked why he wore it, he told Fox News on Thursday:
I do certain things from a feeling, I like, just channel the energy, it just feels right.
West had recently criticised Adidas after becoming dissatisfied with the company’s approach to his products.
West accused Adidas in an Instagram message cited by US media outlets of organising marketing events and reintroducing older styles without his permission.
For years, the rapper was associated with Nike, but he broke away in 2013, lending his name to Adidas as they launched their first Yeezy shoe together in 2015, a partnership that made him a billionaire.
In its statement, the company made no mention of the T-shirt controversy, but stated that its collaboration with the rapper was “one of the most successful collaborations in our industry’s history.”