Kanye West is feeling the heat on social media after an unflattering photo went viral featuring clothing from his new Yeezy collaboration with the Gap.
West first announced his collection via Instagram, revealing that “the children” and “the homeless” were the primary inspiration for his Yeezy Gap line, which includes such items as T-shirts, tank tops, and jumpsuits, ranging in price from a $40 keychain to a $340 parka.
However, controversy erupted when Twitter user @owen__lang posted a photo of the rapper’s new Yeezy Gap line, in which several large bags crammed with clothing sat on the floor of a Gap location.
According to the tweet, a Gap sales associate said that “Ye got mad” when he saw his merch on hangers, and insisted it be placed back into the giant bags because “this is how he wanted it.”
In fact, the tweet added, sales associates “won’t help you find ur size too, you just have to dig through everything.”
This is how they are selling Yeezy GAP. The sales associate said Ye got mad when he saw they had it on hangers and this is how he wanted it. They won’t help you find ur size too, you just have to just dig through everything pic.twitter.com/GNd08Zv1zC
— little miss (@owen__lang) August 15, 2022
“Look, man. I’m an innovator,” West told Fox News on Thursday in response to the backlash. “And I’m not here to sit up here and apologize about my ideas. That’s exactly what the media tries to do. Make us apologize for any idea that doesn’t fall under exactly the way they want us to think.
“It’s not a joke. This is not a game. This is not just some celebrity collaboration. This is my life. I’m fighting for a position to be able to change clothing and bring the best design to the people.”
Check out a sampling of Twitter reaction to West’s clothing being sold out of bags.
Balenciaga & Kanye’s fetish with the homeless as “fashion muses” it’s everything that is wrong with billionaires…they no longer see the plight of people, they don’t see humans that are suffering, they see opportunities to be “edgy” and profit from it…it’s disgusting
— 🌚GrushenkaH🌝 (@GrushenkaH) August 16, 2022
I kinda think so too. I love Kanye but couldn't imagine paying $200 for basic clothes out of a bag on the floor. These aren't CD/TLR fans, rich kids/Hypebeasts don't mind going out of their way to look trendy/cool. I think he exploits their vanity to build his empire.
— Leonard (@PretzelPapi) August 16, 2022
It’s literally garbage , just to say “this is Yeezy, Ye , Y” or what we’re he calls himself, and putting a $200+ tag on it doesn’t make it fashionable or trendy..
— A New Day Everyday (@CubaLibre00000) August 17, 2022
— B.A. (@BA_JUST_BA) August 16, 2022
Yeah looks really fun digging through a giant pile of clothes, laundry is so fun
— arzenha (@arzenha) August 16, 2022
Just like the thrift store experience except an ass-ton more expensive!
— Janky Painting & Toilet Company LLC (@Janky_Painting) August 16, 2022
Finally, something to satisfy my instinct to burrow
— 🙍🏾😷 (@social_thot) August 16, 2022
Making it look like you’re digging through giant trash bags for clothes. Interesting.
— chloë🧃🐛 (@chloeevansj) August 16, 2022