Once an instant seller, the Yeezy line has experienced its share of ups and downs this year, with some styles moving quickly and others sitting for days. And sneaker diehards believe the hype surrounding the releases has certainly changed.
But has the love for Kanye West‘s sneakers died? The answer is no.
“It’s certainly in a place it hasn’t been before, but Yeezys will continue to sell out even if not as quick as they once did,” explained Mike “Mr. Foamer Simpson” Lytle. “So dead? Sure, if you’re looking at it relative to the previous Yeezy hype, you could say that. But not if you throw it into the mix with everything else. There’s still quite a bit of hype.”
And Teddy Safarian, formerly known as “Boost God,” agrees.
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“Do the shoes always sell out instantly? No. Are people still paying attention to every move Kanye makes? Yes,” he said.
This year saw the first mass-produced style from West, the restocked Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 “Triple White.” A week after it released on Sept. 21, there were still several sizes left.
For Lytle, the way the Yeezy franchise can regain the momentum it once had is by returning to the scarcity model.
More sneakers available equals less hype. They’re producing way more sneakers than they were before,” he said. “Make things more limited, and hype will build. Produce more sneakers, and it lessens.”
But for Safarian, with West’s desire to make Yeezy footwear available to the masses, he believes the answer is in the price tag.
“If we move into a time where Yeezy product is going to be on shelves, a decision needs to be made. A shoe that retails at $300 on a shelf in Barneys has a much different feel than if it’s sitting at Foot Locker,” he said. “If Yeezy is really going to be for everyone, Adidas and Kanye are going to have to address the economic gap between their consumers and high-fashion pricing. Regular consumers care about price and quality, not availability.”
Safarian also thinks it’s a mistake for Adidas to focus on hype in the marketplace to continue to drive sales.
“I don’t think Adidas needs to focus on hype in any way. Adidas needs to make good product and take the time accurately marketing that product,” Safarian said. “Serving the hype crowd is a dead-end road, I think Adidas got cocky and learned that the hard way this year.”
The Three Stripes restocked a past favorite today, the Yeezy Boost 350 V2 “Zebra,” which has already sold out. According to Yeezy Mafia, the brand released 12,481 pairs in the U.S. The sneakers retailed for $220.
The next West design to drop is the Yeezy 350 V2 “Sesame,” which is scheduled to arrive on Black Friday.
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