The Yeezy Slides: They’re basic, coming in most neutral colors with a sleek design. One wouldn’t expect such uninteresting and dull shoes to be so popular, but over the last couple of years, they have drastically escalated in popularity.
These Yeezy Slides are frequently seen in school and in public, as they are commonly worn by teenagers. According to the website BusinessChief, Adidas, which was once an exclusive affiliate with the Yeezy brand, is currently ranked number two in sportswear brands. This globally dominating company is generating hundreds of millions of USD by selling their remains of Yeezy products.
Kanye West, founder and CEO of the brand Yeezy targeted these slides towards consumers who are looking for something comfortable and stylish.
After West’s erratic behavior and comments, however, Adidas cut ties with the Yeezy company. “We lost that business, one of the most successful collabs in history. Very sad,” the CEO of Adidas, Bjørn Gulden, said in a podcast.
Yet, due to West’s noteworthy music career and ever growing community, many fans are going to do their best to support him alongside his company.
Despite severing ties with West, the shoes remain a big seller. On StockX, a popular website to purchase and resell shoes, three colors, bone, desert sand, and slide resin, have risen from the small price of $100, to over $200, with the most popular color, black, once selling at more than $300.
“I believe Yeezy slides have become popular because of their clean aesthetic and comfort level. They match the athleisure wear style that is popular today,” Ms. Samantha Shepard, art and fashion teacher at Shoreham-Wading River High School, said. “Students have told me that they feel like you are walking on a cloud and hug your feet nicely.”
682,300 pairs of Yeezy Slides were sold in all, with a total profit of 170.5 million dollars, according to statistical data online.
“Personally, I like the clean look of them and could definitely understand why people would want to wear them,” Shepard said.
Their rise to popularity began in 2020. Wearers prefer to choose slides over regular shoes with laces, as slides are convenient and fast when in a hurry. Yeezys also have an unmatched look that no other brand can replicate.
“They are super comfortable, and it feels like you’re walking on clouds,” Angelina Cornand, a freshman at Sachem East High School, said. ”I decided to buy these slides because they looked really comfortable and cute!”
The separation from Adidas might impact the brand’s future sales. There’s no saying, however, what will specifically happen to the state of West’s brand.
