Adidas Will Start Selling Yeezy Stockpile By ‘End Of May’

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In October, Adidas cut ties with rapper Ye — formerly known as Kanye West — following antisemitic remarks and unprofessional behavior. The partnership had spanned nine years.

Since the breakup, the German footwear brand has faced a slew of obstacles — from a lawsuit by Adidas investors accusing the company of failing to warn them about the rapper’s “extreme behavior,” to ongoing financial hits (Adidas said it expects to lose $1.3 billion this year). Now, on top of it all, the company is stuck with a monster stockpile of unsellable Yeezy shoes made in collaboration with the rapper.

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During the annual shareholder meeting on May 11, Adidas CEO Bjorn Gulden said the company spent months figuring out what to do with $500 million worth of Yeezy inventory, and a host of options were on the table — including literally burning them to dust.

However, the company decided that it will, after all, sell the shoes.

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On Friday, Adidas said it will begin selling the stockpile of shoes as early as “the end of May,” and they will be available exclusively through the company’s website and app.

Related: Kanye West Goes After Adidas in Series of Instagram Posts, Says It Stole Shoe Designs

“Ye is a difficult person, but he’s arguably the most creative person in our industry,” Gulden said on the May 11 call. “Unfortunately, we also know what he did, and I think it was the right thing for us to terminate the contract.”

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A “significant amount” of the proceeds will be donated to charities fighting discrimination such as the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the Philonise & Keeta Floyd Institute for Social Change.

Related: Kanye West’s Ugly Brand Breakups Expose Risks of Partnering With Public Figures. Don’t Overlook These DEI Red Flags to Avoid The Same Fate.

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