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Kanye "Ye" West (2019)
Photo: RANDALL HILL / REUTERS
Kanye West's partnership with fashion company Gap ends before it really gets going.
"Our agenda did not match," said the star rapper and designer, who only calls himself "Ye", on Thursday (local time) on the US broadcaster CNBC.
"Everyone knows I'm the leader, I'm the king," West announced.
“A king cannot live in someone else's castle.
A king must build his own castle.«
Gap boss Mark Breitbard confirmed the end of the cooperation in a memo to employees quoted by CNBC.
However, the existing product range is still to be sold off.
Actually, the partnership should have run until the end of 2026.
Gap and West's Yeezy brand announced their deal in June 2020, causing a stir in the fashion world.
West had a history of successful partnerships with sporting goods giant Adidas and before that with its big rival Nike.
According to his own statements, he now wanted to offer his Yeezy products at Gap at lower prices and thus make them affordable for the general public.
But the partnership never really took off and was accompanied by many tensions.
In 2021, a blue jacket came out as an online release that provoked comparisons with a garbage bag.
A hoodie was added later.
Just this summer, a limited collection landed in the Gap stores, which was developed together with the French luxury designer brand Balenciaga.
Again and again trouble with the partners
West has also repeatedly complained about the partnership with Adidas.
The eccentric US superstar accuses the German sporting goods company - like Gap - of not having kept to agreements and contracts with him.
In general, he does not feel sufficiently involved in decisions and demands more influence.
West also accuses the partners of copying his ideas and using them for their own branded products.
Adidas was recently concerned with a sandal design that West described as an "obvious copy".
Adidas has so far kept a low profile on the conflicts and allegations.
jok/dpa