Kanye West and Gap are parting ways.
The fashion mogul has announced that he is terminating his two-year-old partnership with the apparel chain, claiming that Gap breached their agreement by not releasing apparel and opening Yeezy retail stores as planned.
“Gap’s substantial noncompliance with its contractual obligations has been costly,” West’s lawyer, Nicholas Gravante, told CNN in a statement. “Ye will now promptly move forward to make up for lost time by opening Yeezy retail stores.”
The partnership was announced in June 2020. As part of the 10-year deal, Ye was to develop a collection of clothing under the Yeezy Gap brand. They released several products including a $200 bubble jacket, hoodies, and a collection designed with Balenciaga.
Ye appeared on CNBC’s “Closing Bell” Thursday where he criticized Gap for allegedly copying his designs and selling the copycat items for less. He also said that they “ignored” his request to build retail stores, even though it was in the contract.
“It was very frustrating, it was very disheartening because I just put everything I had,” Ye said. “Our agenda, it wasn’t aligned.”
He also credited himself as being crucial to Gap’s future success. “They only have one opportunity to be a big player,” Ye added.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Gap is still planning to release upcoming Yeezy Gap items.
“Simply put…while we share a vision, how we work together to deliver this vision is not aligned,” Mark Breitbard, Gap president and CEO, wrote in a memo sent Thursday to employees.
West’s 10-year deal with Adidas, which runs through 2026, is also in jeopardy. He has accused the German sportswear giant of stealing his Yeezy designs and not fulfilling their contract obligations. The two parties have reportedly been in talks for the past week, and Adidas is trying to find a path forward.