After weeks of near-uninterrupted hate speech and antisemitism, Kanye West's favourite fashion brand has officially ghosted him: Balenciaga has cut professional ties with the rapper.
The brand's parent company Kering announced the severance in a statement to WWD: "Balenciaga has no longer any relationship nor any plans for future projects related to this artist."
Balenciaga has additionally removed all images of West and Ye's Yeezy Gap Engineered by Balenciaga collaboration from its website. Gap and Yeezy had previously parted ways in September.
While Balenciaga did not elaborate on its decision to break up with Ye, it's easy to imagine why; after debuting a "White Lives Matter" T-shirt (alongside new bestie Candace Owens) at a Paris fashion show, calling BLM a "scam," getting his Instagram and Twitter accounts restricted for antisemitic posts and subsequently vowing to buy Owens's husband's "free speech" social media app Parler, Ye is also facing a possible $250 million USD lawsuit from the family of George Floyd after claiming that the late victim of police brutality died from a fentanyl overdose.
For now, the brand maintains a strong relationship with West's ex-wife, Kim Kardashian. It has been suggested by several industry experts that the former couple's divorce was "sponsored" by the brand.
The brand's parent company Kering announced the severance in a statement to WWD: "Balenciaga has no longer any relationship nor any plans for future projects related to this artist."
Balenciaga has additionally removed all images of West and Ye's Yeezy Gap Engineered by Balenciaga collaboration from its website. Gap and Yeezy had previously parted ways in September.
While Balenciaga did not elaborate on its decision to break up with Ye, it's easy to imagine why; after debuting a "White Lives Matter" T-shirt (alongside new bestie Candace Owens) at a Paris fashion show, calling BLM a "scam," getting his Instagram and Twitter accounts restricted for antisemitic posts and subsequently vowing to buy Owens's husband's "free speech" social media app Parler, Ye is also facing a possible $250 million USD lawsuit from the family of George Floyd after claiming that the late victim of police brutality died from a fentanyl overdose.
For now, the brand maintains a strong relationship with West's ex-wife, Kim Kardashian. It has been suggested by several industry experts that the former couple's divorce was "sponsored" by the brand.