While most people trace Kanye West’s start in the sneaker game to Nike and his Air Yeezy shoe, it actually gets much deeper than that. ‘Ye almost worked with adidas 10 years ago, so his current partnership is really just coming full circle.
The newest issue of “CREPE CITY” magazine contains an interview with Gary Aspden, a longtime creative consultant for adidas who worked closely on the original collaboration with Kanye before it was shelved. The conversation reveals that the original Yeezy would have been a special edition of the Rod Lavers, part of the adidas Originals collection and one of the three stripes brand’s most iconic silhouettes.
Aspden says the Rod Laver “was [Kanye West’s] favorite shoe at the time,” but doesn’t explain what stopped the shoe from releasing. Kanye’s known for his near-obsessive attention to detail and micromanagement, and these shoes were no different. “He pays attention to every detail of the product, even down to the string used for the swing tags,” recollected Aspden. “I have huge respect for the fact that he personally made trips to the factories with Nic Galway and was hands on with the entire process.”
Given how successful the different Yeezy lines have been, it’s probably better that things turned out the way they did. Check out the whole interview by copping the current issue of "CREPE CITY" here.
