Image via Getty / Timothy Norris
Kanye West is one of the biggest names in entertainment. As such, he is also at the helm of one of the most popular and recognizable footwear lines since Air Jordan was birthed in the '80s, his Yeezy series with Adidas.
Since the inaugural release of the 750 in February 2015, Yeezy has captivated the sneaker market with a multitude of colorways and silhouettes as he aimed to provide Yeezys to everyone who wanted a pair. But the road to this point has been bumpy at times, and realizing that goal has resulted in a lot of Yeezys hitting the market—with each feeling a little easier to get than the last. The insurmountable hype connected to the beginning of the line might be lost to some, but that doesn't mean that Yeezys are fading away anytime soon.
Aside from the footwear, West has had no problem staying in the headlines for other things. Whether it be the anticipation for his new album Yandhi, rise in prominence of his gospel-inspired Sunday Service performances, or extremely polarizing political commentary, West knows how to keep people talking.
In a rare interview, the 42-year old creative talked with Forbesabout his design process, what the future holds for the Yeezy brand, and more—in a way only he can. Here are some of our biggest takeaways.
Adidas Is Trying to Keep Yeezys Limited
While many of the more recent Adidas Yeezy releases lack the exclusivity that helped make the line so coveted early on, Adidas CEO Kasper Rorsted says that the brand is still making a conscious effort to keep the product limited. Recent examples of this include pairs like the "Glow" Yeezy Boost 350 V2 and reflective iterations of other 350 V2 colorways that have hit the market with much more scarcity than their non-reflective counterparts.
"We are continuing to manage volumes in a very disciplined manner so that for 2019 Yeezy sales will not make up a significant share of Adidas’ overall expected sales growth," Rorsted said. "Not because brand heat is decreasing, but because we have a disciplined approach to managing volumes and product lifecycles."
Nothing Is Off Limits When It Comes to Inspiration
West's Adidas Yeezy silhouettes all look drastically different. The sleek knit design of the 350 V2 is a drastic switch up from the chunky 500 model, and there is a reason for that. Aside from the obvious goal of offering a wide array of products to consumers, Yeezy also looks in many different areas for to inspire his work. Some of his ideas come from 3,000-year old sketches. Sometimes he gets inspired by vintage Lamborghinis. He even referred to Yeezy as "the Lamborghini of shoes." One of his points of reference is the classic anime film Akira.
"My mom took me to see Akira when I was really young, and the shapes, the color palettes, and the general mood of the film had always been a big inspiration for Yeezy," West told Forbes. "And going to auto shows with my dad. The first time I saw a white Lamborghini Countach in real life, I remember the guy told me I couldn't even touch the car. I was obsessed with this car as a child. There's a little bit of Lamborghini in everything I do."
Kanye West Makes More Off Royalties Than Michael Jordan
The Adidas Yeezy line might be one of the most popular sneaker lines today, but there will arguably never be a sneaker line more cherished by as many people as Michael Jordan's Air Jordan line. Some might remember when West infamously claimed on the The Life of Pablo track "Facts" that "Yeezy just jumped over Jumpman." The sentiment isn't as outlandish as some might think.
According to Forbes, the Air Jordan line does roughly $3 billion in annual sales. Adidas Yeezy is projected to top $1.5 billion in 2019. One thing that Ye already has MJ beat in is royalties. West reportedly makes 15-percent royalties on wholesale in comparison to Jordan's estimaed 5-percent royalties on wholesale Air Jordan sales. The 42-year old also still owns 100-percent of the Yeezy brand—something that has helped him become a centimillionaire faster than some of his footwear counterparts like Jordan.
One of Ye's most anticipated prototypes is the "Quantum" Yeezy Basketball. While it has been seen on the feet of himself and other members of the Kardashian family in the past, he asserts that it has yet to be approved for on-court use in the NBA, another ironic wrinkle that relates to Jordan's Air Jordan 1 originally being banned by the league in 1985.
Biodegradable Yeezys Could Be on the Way
One of the gripes some people have developed with the Adidas Yeezy line is that it has become stagnant. New colorways of the 350 V2 are being delivered what feels like weekly. The occasional 700 or 700 V2 still makes an appearance, but some are clamoring for the next chapter of Kanye's footwear line with the Three Stripes. Apparently, that chapter could be Yeezys becoming more sustainable. Sneakers made out of algae that are fully biodegradable are reportedly in the works. They would be able to break down over time in landfills, or almost instantly when sprayed with a special bacteria.
The idea of making more sustainable product isn't foreign to West's partner, Adidas, who has taken pride in the continued expansion of its product line made of Parley Ocean Plastic over the past few years.
There Are Hundreds of Yeezy Prototypes
One of the highlights of the Forbes feature on Mr. West is taking a look at the colorful wheel of hundreds of Yeezy prototypes in a parking lot—a representation of his creative process come to life. West says that his design team works on shoes how automotive factories work on a car. When asked about how many of these pairs will never see the light of day, he is quick to assert that he is not as "numbers guy."
"You can't calculate love," he says. "If you get a surprise cake from your grandmother, and you didn’t know she was in town, do you start asking her about the batter and specifically the frosting?"
He Taught Kim Kardashian-West to Make More Calculated Business Decisions
Many people like to credit Kris Jenner for being the mastermind behind the incredibly wealthy Kardashian-Jenner empire. While she certainly deserves her credit, it appears that West has also taught his wife, Kim Kardashian-West, a thing ot two about making the right business moves.
"He’s just taught me as a person to never compromise and to really take ownership," she tells Forbes. "Before, I was really the opposite. I would throw my name on anything.”