The first piece in the much-anticipated collaboration between Kanye West and the Gap went live earlier this week, and it’s already sold out. Plus, those who managed to pre-order the jacket likely won’t see it until the fall.
Last June, it was reported that the rapper reached a 10-year deal with the clothes retailer to create a line of Yeezy Gap apparel. The New York Times explained it was an attempt on the Gap to rebrand after years of decreasing sales and popularity. At the time, Kanye’s design studio released a statement saying they would be focused on elevating and modernizing basics for men, women, and children. They aimed to deliver the apparel at a reasonable price point, staying true to Gap’s affordable roots and image.
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Kanye’s decision to work with the Gap may seem random, but it’s not for the rapper. The YEEZY founder previously worked at a Gap retail store as a teenager. He references the experience in his 2004 hit “Spaceship.” In 2015, while speaking to Vanity Fair, Kanye said he views the Gap differently than most consumers thanks to his experience. He added that he’d like to be creative director for the Gap, which seemed to foreshadow his new collaboration.
Though it was promised the Yeezy Gap line wouldn’t launch until early to mid 2021, the time has finally come. The first item in the collection is a blue, zipperless puffer jacket retailing for a cool $200 USD. It’s made of recycled nylon material and only appears to come in the color blue so far. The YEEZY Gap Round jacket became available on the Gap’s website on June 8th, in order to mark Kanye’s 44th birthday.
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However, it wasn’t available for long. TMZ reports that over 50,000 individuals flooded the Gap’s website within the first thirty minutes of the jacket’s launch. Not only did the jacket itself sell out quickly, but the influx of customers caused the website to temporarily crash. Consumers receiving varying messages. Some shoppers were redirected to a virtual waiting room, whereas others were informed the jacket was completely sold out, USA Today reports. However, those that did manage to complete their check-out have been told they may not see the product until the fall.
It’s been confirmed that the Yeezy Gap apparel line will be available both in stores and online, so it likely won’t be long before consumers seem the merchandise lining actual store shelves. But until then, it’s safe to assume that any new products launched on the website will sell out quickly.
Sources: The New York Times, TMZ, Vanity Fair, USA Today,
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