Fashion has no clue what to do with Kanye West's products after his fallout

A file picture showing Yeezy shoes made by Adidas on display at Kickclusive, a sneaker resale store, in New Jersey. Photo: AP

The Gap store in Times Square, Manhattan, wasted no time in packing up its Yeezy-branded products.

After ending its partnership with Kanye West (also known as Ye) last month because of his antisemitic remarks, Gap Inc said Tuesday (Oct 25) that it would pull all remaining Yeezy Gap products from its stores.

Read more: Kanye West no longer a billionaire after Adidas cuts his Yeezy fashion deal

Less than 24 hours later, the store on Broadway, which had dedicated its entire ground floor to Yeezy Gap, was devoid of all products from the partnership.

The entrance to the store is now empty, with black floors and walls. The one remaining checkout table isn’t staffed.

Store associates said the Yeezy merchandise was packed and shipped to an undisclosed location on Tuesday evening (Oct 25), and the main level would be converted back to regular Gap merchandise by Oct 29.

A company spokesperson declined to comment. It’s unclear what Gap will do with the Yeezy inventory it still holds.

Brands used to incinerate unsold merchandise, or ship it to countries including Chile and Ghana. Advocates for more sustainable supply chains within the fashion industry have tried to end these practices.

Meanwhile, warehousing space is limited in the US as apparel brands grapple with bloated inventories. So it may be difficult for Gap to stash what’s left of its Yeezy products.

The customary resale market is also unlikely to be an option, given the designer and rapper’s sinking reputation.

Secondhand marketplace RealReal Inc, for example, said Tuesday (Oct 25) that it will "no longer accept items associated with Kanye or his brand”.

Read more: Balenciaga ends relationship with Kanye West after antisemitic posts

The end of Ye’s partnerships with brands including Gap, Adidas AG and Kering SA’s Balenciaga "underlines the importance of vetting celebrities thoroughly and avoiding those who are overly controversial or unstable,” Neil Saunders, managing director at GlobalData Plc, said in a note.

"Companies or brands that fail to heed this will get stung, especially if they become overly reliant on a difficult personality to drive their business.” – Bloomberg