Kanye West vs Adidas
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July 18, 2026
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Kanye West vs Adidas
Kanye West and Adidas’s conflict centered on control of Yeezy products, design and release decisions, the termination of their partnership, and the arbitration that followed.
Adidas is a German sportswear company known for footwear, apparel, athlete partnerships, entertainment collaborations and major brand licensing deals.
Adidas
Background
The Adidas Yeezy partnership combined Kanye West’s brand and creative involvement with Adidas’s manufacturing, distribution and retail operations. Product approvals, design rights and control of the Yeezy business later became central points of disagreement. Adidas subsequently said it owned the design rights to existing partnership products and colorways.
Early Tension
The conflict became publicly visible in June 2022, when West accused Adidas of copying the Yeezy Slide with its Adilette 22 design. In August, he claimed that Yeezy Day, product reissues, colorways and staffing decisions had proceeded without his approval. These were West’s allegations and were not established through a public legal ruling.
Escalation
West continued criticising Adidas and its executives publicly. On October 6, Adidas placed the partnership under review after saying that private efforts to resolve the situation had failed. On October 25, it ended the partnership immediately following West’s antisemitic statements, stopped Yeezy production and halted payments to him and his companies. Adidas later began arbitration proceedings seeking damages, while West and entities under his control filed counterclaims.
Current Status
Adidas began selling its remaining Yeezy inventory in 2023 and committed part of the proceeds to organisations addressing antisemitism, racism and other forms of hate. The parties settled the arbitration in July 2024 and withdrew their claims; Adidas publicly confirmed in October that no money changed hands. The company completed the remaining Yeezy sales by the end of 2024, and the partnership has not resumed.
September 10, 2020
West publicly said he did not have a seat on the Adidas board, despite his major role in the Yeezy partnership. He linked the complaint to the lack of Black representation in company leadership.
West Calls for an Adidas Board Seat
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June 13, 2022
West accused Adidas of copying the Yeezy Slide with its Adilette 22 sandal. The claim was made by West and was not confirmed by a court or other independent ruling.
West Accuses Adidas of Copying the Yeezy Slide
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August 2, 2022
West said Adidas created Yeezy Day and released older products and new colorways without his approval. Adidas did not publicly accept his claims.
West Says Yeezy Day Happened Without His Approval
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September 12, 2022
West said he planned to complete his Adidas contract but would not continue working with large corporate partners afterward. He said he wanted to run future Yeezy business independently.
West Says He Plans to Leave Adidas
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October 6, 2022
Adidas announced that it was reviewing its partnership with West. The company said it had made several private attempts to solve the problems between them.
Adidas Places the Partnership Under Review
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October 2022
Ye posted antisemitic messages on Twitter and Instagram, and both platforms restricted his accounts. The statements created a wider public crisis while Adidas was reviewing the partnership.
Ye Makes Antisemitic Statements
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October 25, 2022
Adidas ended its partnership with Ye after his antisemitic statements and other public comments. The company stopped producing Yeezy products and ended payments to Ye and his companies.
Adidas Ends the Yeezy Partnership
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May 11, 2023
Adidas said it would sell part of its remaining Yeezy stock instead of destroying it. The company also said that part of the proceeds would go to organizations fighting hate and discrimination.
Adidas Decides to Sell Remaining Yeezy Stock
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May 26, 2023
A federal judge lifted an order freezing up to $75 million in Yeezy accounts. Adidas and Ye then continued their competing contract and damages claims through private arbitration.
Court Lifts Freeze on $75 Million in Yeezy Funds
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Timeline
💡 Did You Know?
• Adidas ended the Yeezy partnership immediately on October 25, 2022, stopping production and all payments to Ye and his companies.
• Adidas said it owned the design rights to the partnership's existing products and both previous and new colorways.
• Sales of remaining Yeezy inventory generated about €750 million in 2023 and another €650 million in 2024.
• By December 31, 2024, Adidas reported that it no longer held any Yeezy products in inventory.
• Adidas and Ye later ended their legal disputes through a settlement in which neither side paid the other.
Further watching & listening
Selected interviews, releases and external links connected to this feud.
INTERVIEWS
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Ye Discusses Leaving Adidas
Ye said he planned to finish his Adidas contract but wanted to run future Yeezy business without corporate partners.
Disclosure: Some external media links may be affiliate or partner links. This does not affect the timeline, source selection or editorial framing.