Fashion house Balenciaga has cut ties with Kanye West, according to a statement from the brand’s parent company. West has been losing collaborators left and right following a series of comments ranging from controversial to downright anti-Semitic.
“Balenciaga has no longer any relationship nor any plans for future projects related to this artist,” the brand’s parent company Kering told Women’s Wear Daily on Friday (October 21).
The move comes after the rapper and designer made several offensive comments, including anti-Semitic posts that caused him to be suspended by Instagram and Twitter.
Ye had collaborated with the high fashion brand and its artistic director, Demma Gvasalia and her brother Guram. They initially came together in 2015 for Ye’s Yeezy Season 1 line and their relationship has grown ever since.
In 2021, Deema served as creative director for Ye’s three Donda listening parties, and along with Ye, announced their now-severed collaboration: Yeezy Gap Engineered by Balenciaga. The label has also had an active relationship with his ex-wife Kim Kardashian.
Kanye has made several appearances on broadcast television after being suspended from social media. First appearing on Fox News’ Tucker Carlson Tonight, then on Drink Champs, and most recently, Piers Morgan’s program, he spouted unsubstantiated conspiracy theories regarding business dealings, claims about his ex-wife, and anti-Semitic tropes about global finance and comments about George Floyd that caused Floyd’s family to consider suing the rapper for $250 million. He also wore a “White Lives Matter” shirt during Paris Fashion Week.
