Adidas has said it had started a third sale of its remaining Yeezy sneakers after severing ties with Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West.
The company has accompanied sales with donations to groups that fight anti-Semitism and other forms of hate.
Adidas broke up with Ye in October 2022 over his anti-Semitic and other offensive remarks. He has sought a way to responsibly dispose of €1.2 billion worth of unsold shoes.
The company said it plans to release the remaining Yeezy inventory later this year.
Adidas said the latest launch began Monday on digital platforms. The range available will be products from 2022, including what Adidas said were some of its most popular designs.
Last year, Adidas made 750 million euros ($813 million) in revenue from two Yeezy releases, up from 1.2 billion euros in 2022.
The company spent months searching for a solution. Burning the shoes was ruled out, sewing them again to hide the brand rejected as dishonest, and giving them away could have created a resale market. Instead, he decided to sell them and donate part of the profits.
A sign advertises Yeezy shoes made by Adidas at Kickclusive, a sneaker resale store, in Paramus
(Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
Adidas has donated to the Anti-Defamation League and the Philonise & Keeta Floyd Institute for Social Change, led by social justice advocate Philonise Floyd, brother of George Floyd.
Shoes sold directly by Adidas in North America included blue square pins established by the Robert Kraft Foundation to Combat Anti-Semitism as a symbol of solidarity in rejecting anti-Semitism.
At Adidas' annual general meeting in Fuerth, Germany, in May last year, CEO Bjorn Gulden said destroying Yeezy stock is not the answer.
Kanye West attends the Balenciaga Womenswear Spring/Summer 2023 show as part of Paris Fasion Week
(Getty Images for Balenciaga)
In a translated version of his comments provided by Adidas, Gulden said: “For the last four months we have been trying to find solutions on what to do with it.
“Burning assets is not the solution.
“Now, talking to all the NGOs and many organizations that have been harmed by Kanye, they all say no, that is not the solution.
“What we are trying to do now over time is sell parts of this inventory and donate money to organizations that are helping us and that were also harmed by Kanye's statements.
“It is still unclear when and how we will do it, but we are working on those things.
“But I think burning the products is not the point.
“And we will inform you as soon as that decision is made.”
The company previously condemned West's anti-Semitic comments as “unacceptable, hateful and dangerous.”
Ye was banned from Twitter and Instagram in late 2022 for a series of anti-Semitic comments, which also led to him abandoning his brand partnerships with Adidas and Balenciaga. CAA, one of the largest celebrity talent agencies in the United States, also cut ties with the musician.
That same year, Ye appeared on right-wing commentator Alex Jones' show. information warsduring which he made the shocking statement that he “likes Hitler.”
