The Gap’s Secret Comeback Tool: Kanye West
By Mia McManus
Just when you thought 2020 could not get any more shocking, Kanye West has signed a 10-year deal with the Gap for a collaboration clothing line set to hit stores in the beginning of 2021. He seems to be going back to his teenage roots in Chicago where he worked at a Gap store. Since then, his love and interest for the company never faltered. In an interview with Style.com in 2015, West mentioned he would “like to be the Steve Jobs of the Gap.” His wife, Kim Kardashian, mentioned in an Instagram story earlier today how this deal is a dream come true for Kanye, using the hashtag #WESTdayever.
The brand has denied West’s efforts to collaborate for years, but due to the financial stress the company has faced during the pandemic, there is no better time than now! Gap Inc. was forced to lay off 10% of their workforce, furlough 80,000 employees, close 3,300 stores, and cancel their summer and fall orders. Needless to say, the company took a hit, but their decline started long before the pandemic. With the rise of e-commerce, the primarily mall-based brand struggled to keep their profits up.
While West’s current designs are considered luxury, retailing anywhere from $200 to $5000, he has continuously stressed the importance for his brand to design for everyone. The prices for the Yeezy Gap brand will remain under $100. Gap Inc. hopes the collaboration will generate $1 billion by the five-year mark.
Let’s hope that Yeezy Gap can help get the company back on its feet.
“Kanye West and Gap Strike 10-year deal for ‘Yeezy Gap’ Apparel Line”
“Gap Inc. Lays Off 10% of Its Corporate Workforce”
“Gap Inc. Cancels Summer and Fall Orders As Covid-19 Bites”