Kanye West is catching heat for his latest merchandising tactic.
The backlash began this past Monday when a Twitter user posted a photo of three large, black sacks resembling trash bags, which were apparently "how they are selling Yeezy GAP."
"The sales associate said Ye got mad when he saw they had it on hangers and this is how he wanted it," they revealed, before alleging that Gap employees "won’t help you find ur size too."
The Twitter user added, "you just have to just dig through everything."
This is how they are selling Yeezy GAP. The sales associate said Ye got mad when he saw they had it on hangers and this is how he wanted it. They won’t help you find ur size too, you just have to just dig through everything pic.twitter.com/GNd08Zv1zC
— little miss (@owen__lang) August 15, 2022
Naturally, the rapper and designer's decision to display his relatively expensive merchandise in this way elicited a ton of criticism online, as thousands commented on both the absurdity of "fishing a $240 hoodie out of a garbage bag" and comparing it to a "Goodwill outlet without the quality."
Fishing a $240 hoodie out of a garbage bag. pic.twitter.com/alVv6knnJl
— Lord Jerryl (@lordjerryl) August 16, 2022
Goodwill outlet without the quality.
— 🌸 𝐈𝐑𝐋 𝐉𝐑𝐏𝐆 𝐕𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧 🌸 (Gimmick) 🎙↓ (@JQDJQDJQD) August 16, 2022
Not only that, but given that Ye recently said to "look to the homeless as the biggest inspiration for all design," some saw the trash bags as evidence of his continued "fetishization" of the homeless, with others reminding people that Balenciaga — who also caught heat earlier this year with their "distressed" $1,850 Paris shoes — was an integral part of the project as well.
"it’s everything that is wrong with billionaires," as one critic wrote, before adding, "they no longer see the plight of people, they don’t see humans that are suffering, they see opportunities to be 'edgy' and profit from it…it’s disgusting."
Balenciaga & Kanye’s fetish with the homeless as “fashion muses” it’s everything that is wrong with billionaires…they no longer see the plight of people, they don’t see humans that are suffering, they see opportunities to be “edgy” and profit from it…it’s disgusting
— 🌚GrushenkaH🌝 (@GrushenkaH) August 16, 2022
— hoe biden (@thotsnprayersss) August 16, 2022
Meanwhile, others theorized that the trash bags had to "be a social experiment," with a second commenter agreeing by saying he "couldn't imagine paying $200 for basic clothes out of a bag on the floor" and that Ye "exploits [rich kids and hypebeasts'] vanity to build his empire."
"It’s like he wants people to look thirsty af searching for their size. Idgi," as another wrote. "This irks my visual merchandising brain to its last nerve cuz imo the shopping experience should be enjoyable not hectic and demeaning. I see the vision but the vision is dehumanizing."
I kinda think so too. I love Kanye but couldn't imagine paying $200 for basic clothes out of a bag on the floor. These aren't CD/TLR fans, rich kids/Hypebeasts don't mind going out of their way to look trendy/cool. I think he exploits their vanity to build his empire.
— Leonard (@PretzelPapi) August 16, 2022
It’s like he wants people to look thirsty af searching for their size. Idgi. This irks my visual merchandising brain to its last nerve cuz imo the shopping experience should be enjoyable not hectic and demeaning. I see the vision but the vision is dehumanizing ☹️
— Sweat Suit Shawty ✨✨ (@KendraAliyah) August 16, 2022
Despite the controversy though, there were still a handful of diehard fans who did come to Ye's defense, arguing that he was just making the consumer experience "fun and different" by "changing things up," which another person responded to with a sarcastic "yeah looks really fun digging through a giant pile of clothes. laundry is so fun." After all, who doesn't love sorting their whites?
Yeah looks really fun digging through a giant pile of clothes, laundry is so fun
— arzenha (@arzenha) August 16, 2022
Ye has yet to respond to the backlash.
Photo via Getty / Edward Berthelot
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