Sneaker News UPDATE November 8th, 2023:
adidas executives are considering writing off their remaining Yeezy inventory soon, according to a recent report from Associated Press. However, official brand images of upcoming Yeezy footwear, expected to drop in 2024, have surfaced.
–
In October, news surfaced that the Three Stripes had decided to halt adidas Yeezy releases scheduled for November in the face of Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people. The brand took precaution given Ye, its former partner and Yeezy frontman, had publicly been antisemitic in the lead up to his breakup with the brand in October 2022.
Previously-unreleased pairs of the popular Yeezy Foam Runner and Yeezy 500 had been making rounds across social media this week, but AP’s report suggests these sneakers may ultimately be scrapped.
“Currently there is no decision,” adidas CEO Bjørn Gulden told reporters on a recent conference call. “We of course hope we can do more drops next year and we can get more value out of it and donate the proceeds, but right now financially we haven’t made a decision and that’s why the outlook is [that this inventory will be written off].” Gulden decided not to share what may happen with unsold inventory if adidas decides to write it off to the tune of 100 million euros – a lower amount than the original prediction of 450 million euros.
Whatever the final decision, however, the Three Stripes is considering moving forward with its charitable endeavors, assisting the Anti-Defamation League and the Philonise & Keeta Floyd Institute for Social Change, as well as “for the whole area [Middle East], also for Gaza.”
–
ORIGINAL STORY October 23rd, 2023:
adidas Yeezy sneaker releases were planned throughout the month of November. Now, those drops have been cancelled indefinitely.
According to retailer sources close to Sneaker News, several popular adidas Yeezy sneaker styles such as the Yeezy Boost 350 and Yeezy Boost 700 were expected to release in November. Many of the releases were laid out in our Yeezy Release Dates page. This was part of a strategic calendar plan to liquify remaining adidas Yeezy stock worth $1 billion at MSRP; the decision to resume Yeezy footwear drops came months after adidas officially cut ties with Kanye West in late 2022 following his anti-semitic comments on social media. Portions of accrued revenue from sales would be devoted to relevant charities.
According to Complex’s Brendan Dunne, whatever releases that were planned through the end of 2023 have been indefinitely postponed in response to the ongoing Israel–Hamas war. There is no confirmation of when the releases would resume, but it appears that this decision will remain so long as the armed conflict in the Middle East continues given the nature of ‘Ye’s comments.
As it stands, there will be no Yeezy releases until 2024.
For more adidas footwear news, here’s the very latest on the upcoming adidas Simpsons shoes dropping in November.
