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Adidas has said it had started a third sale of the Yeezy sneakers it was left with after severing ties with Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West.
The company has pledged to donate to organizations that combat antisemitism and other types of hatred alongside their sales.
In October 2022, Adidas ended their partnership with Ye due to his derogatory remarks, including ones that were antisemitic. The company is currently trying to find a responsible way to get rid of 1.2 billion euros worth of unsold shoes.
The company has announced its intention to make available the rest of its Yeezy stock at some point during the current year.
The new collection from Adidas was launched on Monday through online channels. It includes products from 2022, including some of their top-selling designs.
In the previous year, Adidas generated 750 million euros ($813 million) in sales from two Yeezy launches, a decrease from the 1.2 billion euros earned in the year 2022.
The company searched for a solution for several months. Disposing of the shoes by burning them was eliminated as an option, as well as covering up the brand with new stitches, which was seen as unethical. Donating them could have led to the creation of a second-hand market for the shoes. Ultimately, the company chose to sell the shoes and donate a portion of the profits.
, New Jersey.
At a sneaker resale store in Paramus, New Jersey, there is a sign promoting Yeezy shoes by Adidas at Kickclusive.
Adidas has contributed to the Anti-Defamation League and the Philonise & Keeta Floyd Institute for Social Change, which is led by Philonise Floyd, a prominent figure in advocating for social justice and the brother of George Floyd.
Adidas sold shoes in North America that featured blue square pins, which were introduced by the Robert Kraft Foundation for the purpose of fighting against anti-Semitism. This symbol serves as a statement of unity in denouncing hate towards the Jewish community.
During Adidas’s yearly shareholders’ meeting in Fuerth, Germany, held in May of last year, CEO Bjorn Gulden stated that discarding Yeezy inventory is not the solution.
Kanye West is present at the Balenciaga Spring/Summer 2023 show for womenswear during the Paris Fashion Week.
The photo shoot was held for the brand Balenciaga.
According to Adidas’ translated version of his remarks, Gulden stated: “We have been searching for the past four months for ways to address this issue.”
Setting fire to the merchandise does not provide a viable solution.
“Now, talking to all the NGOs, and a lot of organisations that have been hurt by Kanye, they all say, no, that’s not the solution.
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“We are currently working towards selling portions of this stock and using the profits to support organizations that have been both affected by and are supporting us in response to Kanye’s controversial remarks.”
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“At this time, the specific details on when and how we will accomplish this task are still unclear. However, we are actively working towards finding solutions.”
However, I believe that the main issue is not about destroying the items.
“We will notify you promptly once the decision is reached.”
The company has denounced West’s anti-Semitic remarks as “unacceptable, hateful, and perilous”.
In the latter part of 2022, Ye was removed from Twitter and Instagram due to making multiple derogatory statements towards Jewish people. This resulted in him losing his collaborations with Adidas and Balenciaga. The prominent talent agency CAA also ended their association with the artist.
Ye made a contentious statement in the same year on Infowars, hosted by conservative pundit Alex Jones, expressing his admiration for Hitler.
Source: independent.co.uk
