Kanye’s Adidas Collection Will Be Sold at Barneys This Fall. But Will People Buy It?
Kanye West made plenty of headlines after the New York Fashion Week debut of his Adidas Originals clothing collection, Yeezy Season One. Some were favorable, others were most certainly not, but whatever the sentiment: people were talking. In fact, it was the most-viewed collection of Fashion Month on Style.com, beating out Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, and even Zoolander and Hansel at Valentino.
But will people pony up? Luxury department store Barneys New York is betting on it. The retailer announced on Friday that it plans on selling the collection—from the clothes to the shoes to the bags—at every one of its stores, including Barneys.com, this fall. “The product is right for the moment,” Tom Kalenderian, who runs Barneys men’s business, told WWD.
Since the line is set to live in the men’s department at the retailer’s Madison Avenue flagship, it’s presumed that Kanye’s women’s pieces were not included in the order. But Adidas wouldn’t confirm or deny that either way. “We are excited to have Barneys New York involved with the introduction of Kanye West x adidas Originals Yeezy Season 1,” said Liad Krispin, senior director of Adidas trend and influencer marketing, in a statement to Yahoo Style. “Outside of confirming this, we are unable to provide additional details on the collection’s sales strategy at this time.”
Adidas won’t comment on collection prices, either, although earlier this month some numbers began circulating. Racked reported, via Hypebeast and Esquire, that hoodies and sweatshirts would retail for $430, duck boots for $496, sweaters upward of $800, and outerwear well into the four figures. (As in, $4,000.) However, those numbers go against what Kanye has been preaching about bringing high design to the masses, so we’ll see if they end up being accurate, or if West and Adidas will work hard to bring them down for spring.
So, where else, other than Barneys, might you be able to find Yeezy Season One come September? Given that the already-sold-out Yeezy Boost sneaker was available at upscale retailers like elevated concept boutique Dover Street Market, we’re guessing that the athletics company will aim to take a similar approach to the clothes, stocking them alongside the high-fashion labels West so admires. They might also end up at Adidas Originals stores.
To be sure, there are strong indicators that this stuff will indeed sell. Especially the menswear. West’s first collection for A.P.C. was an instant sell out, and the second didn’t do bad, either. As for whether women will respond as well? Only the customer can determine that. Regardless, sales of West’s Yeezy Boost sneakers will make the collaboration worthwhile. Adidas has already sold 9,000 pairs at $350 a pop, bringing in almost $3.2 million in sales. Repeat that a couple of times and you’ve recouped the costs of working with West, and then some.
Related: North West Cries, Anna Wintour Smiles, and Kanye West Goes All In for Adidas