Will Kanye West’s Yeezy Brand Be As Timeless As Jordan?

There are few brands that can say they’ve truly stood the test the time, and even fewer that have specific silhouettes that boast ‘icon’ status. Among the world’s most timeless brands are, of course, Nike and adidas. Both of these sportswear powerhouses count certain partnerships as their biggest success story. Nike’s Jordan brand has been setting the standard for sell-out footwear since 1984 and in 2015, Kanye West changed the game with his very first pair of Yeezy 750, designed in partnership with adidas.

Initially embarking on a collaboration with Nike in 2009, 2012 and 2014, West later expressed frustration about the brand’s hesitancy to change and relinquish creative control. The eventual separation of the Chicago-born rapper and world-famous brand came when Nike refused to pay West royalties for sales of his own shoes. Enter: adidas.

The now-iconic Yeezy 750 challenged the traditional sneaker design with its boot-like aesthetic and futuristic style. Crafted using soft suede and a revolutionary Boost midsole, the silhouette was imbued with Kanye’s quirky fashion sense and urban style. Instantly becoming a covetable staple, every single colourway sold like hot cakes and so the adidas x YZY brand became an overnight success.

Initially shunned by sneakerheads who ridiculed the design, the 750 silhouette surpassed criticism and sold out almost instantly thanks to the amount of hype Ye generated. Quickly becoming a staple propelled to stardom by hypebeast culture, West’s innovative marketing techniques were a risk worth taking.

Both Jordan Brand and Yeezy have certain silhouettes that sit in the sneaker hall of fame. The Air Jordan 1 is a style that’s been a bestseller since its debut in 1985, while Ye’s Boost 350 V1 ‘Turtle Dove’ currently resales at over £3000. Proof that both brands have clearly tapped into something and found a secret recipe for success, these extra-special collaborations are set to absolutely smash the test of time.

Arguably the most timeless style among the bunch is the Jordan 1 ‘Banned’ – famed for its rebellious back story – but closely following is other coveted OGs like the ‘Royal Blue’ and ‘Shadow Grey’. Still racking up to £5000 in the resell market, timeless doesn’t even begin to cover the continued success of Jumpman. More than three decades after the release of the very first Jordan, this iconic sneaker partnership is more popular than ever. Legendary silhouettes from the Jordan 1 Mid to the brand-new Jordan Mars are still selling out worldwide and supply just cannot meet demand.

Showing absolutely no sign of slowing down any time soon, the Michael Jordan-helmed label has evolved into not just a fashion powerhouse, but a philanthropic example. In 2015, the basketball brand initiated the Wings Scholars Program – which has offered (and continues to offer) full rides to over 65 colleges. One of several charitable programs that the brand proudly runs, giving back to the community is at the very top of Jordan’s list.

Hot on the ‘Banned’ silhouette’s heels is Yeezy’s Boost 350 design. A sell-out style since its first appearance in 2015, the ‘Triple Black’ iteration is a firm fan favourite thanks to its versatile hue, futuristic silhouette and optimised comfort. Set to be just as timeless as the Air Jordan 1, the Boost 350 ticks every box.

In fact, the Yeezy brand is quickly catching up with Jordan. This year, the Jordan brand made $3.4 billion in revenue while Yeezy, a brand that’s 31 years Jordan’s junior, wasn’t far behind with a figure of $1.5 billion. Set to catch up with – if not overtake – Jordan Brand in the coming years, Kanye West’s continued success is bound to propel him to the front of the race sooner than we might think – this is further supported by the fact that West himself owns 100% of the YZY brand and makes 15% royalties from each sale (which is three times more than Jordan’s 5%).

In a recent interview with Forbes, the magazine estimated that the adidas x Yeezy partnership “has the 34-year-old Jordan empire in its sights, in terms of both cultural clout and commercial prowess.” And with the speed at which the brand has evolved in the last four years, we don’t doubt it one bit.

Although West’s brand is set to overtake Jordan in sales, the creative spectrum is yet to be challenged. To date, Air Jordan boasts over 34 silhouettes with hundreds of colourways and fabric iterations, while Ye’s label has racked up only six styles. With more and more hues of the same styles being released, each colour is selling out slower than the last.

Most recently, the brand’s ‘Teal Blue’ colourway sold out significantly slower than the same silhouette’s ‘Inertia’ hue which cleared the shelves faster than you can say “size 5 please”. Does this mean fans are getting tired of the same styles being released? Lucky for Yeezy fans, the brand is set to release at least three brand-new silhouettes next year, including the Yeezy 700 V3.

With both Michael Jordan and Kanye West setting the bar high for potential future collaborators, we can’t wait to see what silhouettes they release next. Because quite frankly, we can’t get enough.

Do you think Ye will overtake Jordan? Will you still be rocking YZY sneakers in 30 years’ time? Let us know and as always, keep an eye on The Sole Supplier for all the latest news, releases and restocks!