YEEZY Gap Just Dropped Its First Piece — It’s So Perfect For Fall

Kanye West is not new to the Gap family. As a teen growing up in South Side Chicago, West worked at his neighborhood Gap store, all while making beats in a small basement studio on the side. Back in June 2020, the brand and musician revealed that they were joining forces under a new project that's sure to withstand the test of time. Now the first piece from the highly anticipated YEEZY Gap collaboration (or YZY, readapting the mall store's three-lettered logo) is finally here. The inaugural drop is comprised of a $200 blue puffer jacket made from recycled nylon, which was already worn by West earlier this month.

The drop will also be accompanied by floating projections of said jacket which, according to an official statement, will be on display at specific sites such as the New Museum in New York City and the Walk of Fame in Los Angeles. The puffer jacket is currently available for pre-order online in the United States only, with shipping starting this fall. According to The New York Times, this collaborative project will function as a 10-year creative partnership producing streetwear-inspired garments for men, women, and kids at an accessible price point that Gap is known for.

Eventually, West's design vision will infiltrate other parts of the brand, taking shape both physically (through concepts at Gap's storefronts) and digitally (on its online platforms). Mark Breitbard, Global Head of Gap Brand, waxed poetic on the partnership in an official statement: “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.”

Though West has not yet commented on the collaboration, his desire to create clothes for the masses has long been a dream of his. In 2015, T Magazine reported that West was looking to create "high fast fashion: clothes that are truly avant-garde in their design... [that] could be bought by the public at affordable price." In the interview, West said, "The jacket that no one could get ... I wanted to give that to the world." With that, Gap is the ultimate destination for his vision to materialize with.

West fans are actively contemplating how YEEZY's demure streetwear aesthetic will carry over to Gap's hallmark familial style. The musician has also tapped female Nigerian-British designer, Mowalola Ogunlesi, as his design director for the line, whose bullet hole dress (as donned by Naomi Campbell) sparked public controversy in 2019, starting a commentary on racial injustice. Mowalola fans are hoping to see her bold, disruptive design codes infused through the new project. As West always surrounds himself with the brightest and most talented people, the best is sure to come.

Editor's note: This piece was updated on 06.08.2021 at 12:11 p.m. to include latest details on the YEEZY Gap collaboration.