Kanye West’s New Collaboration With Gap Might Just Save The Struggling High Street Brand

Kanye West announced on Friday that YEEZY, his fashion label, has signed a 10 year partnership deal with Gap. It's a full-circle moment for West, who worked in a Gap store in Chicago as a teen, and one which might just save the high street brand that has faced some major losses in recent years. While some of the initial reactions were skeptical, it seems that Gap's stock surged by 34% in the wake of the announcement, suggesting that this could be a very valuable collaboration all-round.

Expected to appear in Gap stores and online in 2021, the YEEZY Gap collection will consist of 'modern, elevated basics for men, women and kids at accessible price points,' according to a press release. While West will maintain creative direction, he has appointed Mowalola Ogunlesi as design director, the Nigerian-British designer who, despite having only graduated from her BA at Central Saint Martins in 2017, already counts Skepta, Solange, Megan Thee Stallion, Drake and – of course – the Kardashian-West family among her many fans.

'We are excited to welcome Kanye back to the Gap family as a creative visionary, building on the aesthetic and success of his YEEZY brand and together defining a next-level retail partnership,' said Mark Breitbard, Global Head of Gap Brand. The press release also stated that 'West’s design vision will extend to unique YEEZY Gap expressions in Gap stores and digital channels over time.'

In April of this year, YEEZY was valued at $2.9 billion – West is the sole owner of his company. With a highly successful footwear collaboration with Adidas under his belt, now worth a reported $1.5 billion, West is well-poised to take on a global partnership with such a major brand – even if it's one that has struggled to stay relevant in the current retail landscape and has reported huge losses in recent years.

The fact that Gap's stock has already increased so significantly is testament to West's influence, even though he has proved a divisive individual with some controversial opinions. While we wait to hear more about the partnership, it's looking like YEEZY might just be the lifeline that Gap so badly needs.

READ MORE: What’s Behind The Surprising Appeal – And The Endurance – Of Kanye West's Yeezy?