Welcome to the 95th insertion of DEMUR®, an analytical series highlighting the intricacies of the artistic world and the minutiae lying within. In this episode we document Ye’s recent partnership with Yeezy x Gap Engineered By Balenciaga, revealing what’s to come in the following weeks.
Back in January, Ye announced his induction to the Gap label in part with the Balenciaga team. Coming as a shock to many, he would sign a 10 year agreement as of June, with the option for renewal after 5 years. Selling out his first release of Yeezy Gap Round Jackets, it would later be revealed Ye was responsible for “the most sales in a single day in Gap.com's history”.
Over the first quarter of the year, Ye would unveil a full lookbook of Yeezy x Gap Engineered by Balenciaga garments (yes the full name is necessary), driving mass hype towards the namesake. Again in May, we would be greeted with another, lesser praised collection, this time featuring outerwear and tank tops.
But then, everything went silent. Gearing up to last week’s in-store announcement, Ye secretly worked with the Gap team to create a pop-up shop location in Times Square. Opening on Saturday, many were seen camping out in anticipation for the release, despite the since-deleted post outlining the details less than 15 hours prior.
When doors unlocked, customers were instructed by the staff who were masked and dressed is all black to dig through massive Frakta bags. Placed in the centre of the store, these containers were packed full with winged graphic hoodies, tees and other products, similar to dig bins in thrift stores like Goodwill.
The New York location has since closed, but in typical Ye fashion, three more sites were unexpectedly revealed yesterday. Titled “Van Drops”, it appears as if the designer is creating a travelling pop-up shop, filling Ford sprinter vans with employees and products to be dispersed on the spot. In some instances, dumpsters have been set up like industrial dig bins on top of parking garages, fuelling the DIY aesthetic this partnership has retained.
As this story unfolds, we eagerly await Ye’s next move at The Gap.
Comments