Ye Appoints Steven Smith as Head of Donda Industrial Design

When it comes to footwear, few figures are as influential as Steven Smith. The legendary designer has worked for New Balance, Nike, Reebok and Yeezy, and probably played some part in designing your favourite silhouettes. Having worked closely with Ye (formerly Kanye West) since his early days with adidas, Smith was the brain behind instant classics, such as the Yeezy 700 Wave Runner. Now, Smith will adding another Kanye project to his extensive CV, as he’s been appointed Head of Donda Industrial Design.

Speaking to The Sole Supplier earlier in the year, Steven Smith spoke fondly of his partnership with Ye, describing it as “the most magical time of my career.” He also mentioned that as the Yeezy universe grew, we could expect to see “a lot more things in the orbit beyond just apparel and footwear that will go to new places.” Sure enough, the news of Smith’s appointment sat alongside a preview of a DONDA car, dubbed the “DONDA FOAM VEHICLE,” which suggests that the agency’s Industrial Design division could be looking to move into the automotive industry.

Right now, news of Smith’s new role doesn’t give much intel as to what’s currently going on with Ye and adidas. Only last month did the rapper call out the German sportswear giant for apparently copying his Yeezy Slides, dubbing the adidas pair “fake Yeezys.” This did leave fans speculating as to whether Ye was looking to move away from adidas, and with a couple of DONDA ventures now under his belt, it could suggest some distance between Ye and the Yeezy name, although he is contracted with adidas until 2026.

Whatever happens, we can’t wait to see what incredible innovations two of the greatest minds in the industry will continue to cook up together, so be sure to keep it locked to The Sole Supplier for all the latest news on what they’re up to!

Up next, two new Yeezys have recently been revealed.