Written by: David Williams
Kanye West and Demna are back at it again with their second round of the Yeezy GAP Engineered by Balenciaga installment. These two heavyweight titans have kept the needle moving with design in clothes for the longest time. They are the equivalent of Kobe and Lebron joining forces on the same team in 2009.
The first release of the collaboration was an assortment of hoodies and shirts that range from extremely oversized arm sleeves to cropped designs and also equipped some garments with a dove on the back. The release was a huge success in terms of business for GAP and has never been more cooler or relevant with this pairing.
Kanye needs no introduction with his relevance to the fashion and streetwear world. He kept Adidas afloat with his Yeezy sneakers since by the time he joined the brand they were almost an afterthought. Now, he is also resurrecting GAP, whose stock and relevance were next to nothing not long ago. According to Wells Fargo, the Yeezy line will eclipse over 1 billion dollars in sales this year. If Ye was a comic book character he would be the Human Torch equipped with a fiery personality along with the capability of heating up almost any company to importance no matter how frozen they seem to be.
Demna has been with Balenciaga since 2015. He has a lot of fun with design and it shows. He makes the normal look absurd in the best possible way. Lyst Index listed Balenciaga as the world’s hottest brand in 2021 and in the first quarter of 2022 so far. His ability to turn a simple croc into a giant boot that looked like something Spongebob would wear was one of the most talked-about footwear designs of last year.
Photo courtesy of TheImageDirect.com
Image Courtesy of Balenciaga
Sometimes, he pushes the boundary a little too far, an example being the destroyed sneaker which basically looks like a Chuck Taylor that was dipped into an active volcano while also somehow surviving a zombie apocalypse, the price of these shoes you ask? Only for the low price of $1,850 they can be yours. Even though this particular item didn’t work per se it still shows his willingness to keep moving fashion forward.
This is the largest collection so far of Kanye’s partnership with GAP. This collection with Balenciaga has shirts, hoodies, parkas, pants, and everything in between. Let’s look at some of the best and worst pieces of the latest release:
Photo Courtesy of GAP
Dove Hoodie
Price $240
The “Statement Piece “ of the drop is the Dove Hoodie that comes in five colors. The sweatshirt has an oversized fit that is also cropped at the waist along with a double-layered construction. This looks extremely cozy and warm. You would even be able to survive that snowstorm at the Balenciaga Winter 2022 show with ease wearing this piece of clothing.
Photo courtesy of GAP
Sateen Overalls
$300
If Michael Myers was going to Paris Fashion Week you probably would see him saunter around town wearing these overalls. The piece even has a hood to keep you heated on those Halloween nights as you scare the living daylights out of trick-or-treaters.
Photo courtesy of GAP
Flame Cap
$80
Everyone needs at least one item in their closet that has flames. This will be one of the most purchased items from the collection because of the price point, which people will be able to talk themselves into going for it. What did Garth in Wayne’s World do to his old beaten-up 76’ AMC Pacer to make it look more boss? That’s right he added flames.
Photo Courtesy of GAP
Facemask
$40
Fetishism has become a big part of the Balenciaga world recently and this facemask is a shining example of what the fashion house is going for in the present. As the cheapest item in the entire collection, cosplaying as The Gimp from Pulp Fiction has never been more accessible. The only thing missing from this BDSM replicate is a ball gag.
Photo Courtesy of GAP
Coated Cotton Light Parka
$300
The best jacket in the collaboration is the Parka. This jacket comes in black with an oversized fit. This right here is why GAP brought Kanye into the fold, to be able to bring such quality into the company that has never been before. This item would elevate your entire outfit no matter what you are wearing.
Sateen Anorak
$260
Kanye has been seen numerous times when he’s been out wearing the Anorak jacket. The color it comes in is black with a pocket attached to the chest. The microscopic GAP logo is placed at the center to give you the subtle flex you want so you can show off how into streetwear you are with your friends, while also giving off the appearance of the fisherman from I Know What You Did Last Summer, so it’s a double win.
Photo Courtesy of GAP
Mock Neck Pullover Puffer
$340
A different variation of the widely successful Yeezy Round Jacket. Taking something retro like a simple mock neck and pairing it with a futuristic pullover puffer makes for an interesting design that for sure have people talking. People might have reservations about purchasing this piece because they don’t want to give off the appearance of looking like a human sauna. Just embrace it and sweat like your Patrick Ewing in the 4th quarter parading around in this puffer.
Photo Courtesy of GAP
This is only the beginning of the partnership between Yeezy, GAP, and Balenciaga. There are still many more items that have yet to be released from the lookbook that came out in February. With that being said Kanye and Demna have yet again turned the fashion world up on its ear.