Kanye West’s partnership with Adidas has been in the spotlight since his controversial comments last year. Now, Bjorn Gulden, CEO of Adidas, has opened up about the rapper and producer, calling him “one of the most creative people in the world”.
West and Adidas have had a long-standing relationship, with the Yeezy brand having been in production for years until its abrupt end last year. On the In Good Company podcast, Gulden spoke out on the partnership, admitting that it is part of the game to work with third parties, and that West is still an incredibly talented individual. He also noted that West likely did not mean the things he said, and is not a bad person.
In response to West’s comments, Adidas decided to sell the left over Yeezys, donating a portion of the profits to charities such as The Anti-Defamation League and the Philonise & Keeta Floyd Institute for Social Change. This decision was made instead of writing off the inventory, and was praised by Gulden as being a better way to make a difference.
Adidas has still not fully recovered from the loss of the Yeezy line, with sales taking a 20% hit in North America and €400m (£350 million) being lost in the first quarter of 2023. Despite this, West has opened up a new Yeezy office in Los Angeles, signalling a possible return to the sportswear company.
It remains to be seen what the future holds for West and Adidas, but one thing is certain: the rapper and producer is still held in high regard by the company, and is seen as someone with immense creative talent.
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