Gap removes Kanye West's Yeezy from stores

Clothing retailer also shuts down Gap Yeezy website

The Yeezy Gap X Balenciaga collection has been unveiled, and already there is a waiting list. All photos: Gap

Working with Balenciaga creative director Demna, Ye has created a line of oversized hoodies, T-shirts and denim that mixes his slouchy aesthetic with the brooding palette of Balenciaga.

The first release from the Yeezy Gap Engineered by Balenciaga collection featured eight pieces.

A dark-wash denim from the collection.

Announced in January, the collection's first pieces were revealed on Yeezy Gap and Farfetch's websites, complete with a dramatic countdown.

The Yeezy Gap Engineered by Balenciaga collection features several hoodies.

The collection is designed to be unisex.

A second release from the collection is expected later this year.

A jacket from the separate Yeezy Gap collection has been revisited in the Engineered by Balenciaga range.

A short-sleeve T-shirt from the Balenciaga collaboration.

The Yeezy Gap Engineered by Balenciaga collection mixes Ye's oversize silhouettes with Balenciaga's almost all-black palette.

The collection has been released for pre-order, but there is now a waiting list.

Yeezy Gap Engineered by Balenciaga will also offer dark, oversize tracksuits later this year.

The eight pieces unveiled are priced from $120 to $440.

A look from the Yeezy Gap Engineered by Balenciaga collection.

After ending its partnership with Ye’s Yeezy label last month, Gap is now pulling all remaining Yeezy Gap products from its shelves and online stores after the rapper and designer made anti-Semitic remarks.

In a statement on Tuesday, Gap said it would take immediate steps to remove Yeezy Gap items and shut down e-commerce site YeezyGap.com. It now redirects shoppers to Gap.com.

Last month, the performer formerly known as Kanye West and Gap terminated a royalty agreement to sell apparel through 2030.

Even after that rupture, Gap had intended to sell existing Yeezy Gap products into the first half of 2023, a person familiar with the matter said. That was to include several product releases in the autumn, including a holiday collection, said the person, who asked to remain anonymous.

“Anti-Semitism, racism and hate in any form are inexcusable and not tolerated in accordance with our values,” Gap said in the Tuesday statement.

“On behalf of our customers, employees and shareholders, we are partnering with organisations that combat hate and discrimination.”

Gap shares were up 2.5 per cent after the move.

Ye’s other major corporate partner, Adidas, cut ties with him on Tuesday.

“Adidas does not tolerate anti-Semitism and any other sort of hate speech,” the German company said.

In now-deleted Instagram posts from earlier this year, the Grammy Award-winning artist accused Adidas and Gap of failing to build contractually promised permanent stores for products from his Yeezy fashion line.

News agencies contributed to this report