Kanye West trademarks Yeezy sock shoes… after Adidas says it will sell remaining Yeezy shoes and donate proceeds to charity
- The new product is called “YZY SOCK SHOES” in the deposits
- West previously wore something similar in 2019
- He reportedly struggles to find a retailer due to his recent anti-Semitic remarks
Kanye West appears to be trying to get back into the shoe game after Adidas severed ties with him last year following a series of anti-Semitic remarks.
The 45-year-old disgraced rapper has filed for a brand new Yeezy Sock Shoes, TMZ reported Friday.
The documents were submitted on May 4 by West’s Mascotte Holdings Inc., and they listed the product as “YZY SOCK SHOES.”
The forms were reportedly light on details of what the sock shoes would look like, although they were described as “socks; leather-soled socks.’
West appears to be moving forward even though his former partner Adidas said he plans to sell off his remaining stock of Yeezy shoes – without his branding – before donating the proceeds to charity.
New venture: Kanye West, 45, trademarked Yeezy Sock Shoes, according to documents obtained by TMZ on Friday; seen in February 2020 in Beverly Hills
Long in the works: West was previously seen wearing what could have been an early version of the design in 2019. They were described as “Socks; leather soled socks
Although he’s only now trying to trademark the design, it looks like it’s been in the works for years.
TMZ shared a photo of the Monster rapper taken in 2019 showing him wearing what looked like a pair of gray socks.
They seemed to be sturdier like a high top shoe, and they also seemed to have the same leather soles as the new product.
It’s unclear if this is his next big inspiration, or if it was just a practical design he dragged around years earlier.
Even if West gets his mark, it’s unclear how he would sell the socks after Adidas ended its relationship with him.
Many retailers are said to be reluctant to sell any product associated with him after a series of racist and anti-Semitic remarks, as well as his contacts with white supremacists and alt-right figures, including Nick Fuentes and Milo Yiannopoulos.
West could also try to sell them through his own Yeezy label, but he might have trouble finding someone to make the socks.
Although his public stock is at an all-time low, the rapper and producer continues to push forward with a 2024 presidential campaign, despite his organization still going by the name Kanye 2020 after the last election.
Earlier this week, it was reported that his campaign treasurer had resigned.
Canceled: West reportedly struggles to find someone to sell the shoes — or even make them — following his recent anti-Semitic comments; seen in 2015 in LA
Fire Sale: Adidas announced plans to sell some of its remaining stock of Yeezys and donate the proceeds to chairty; seen in March 2022
On leaving, Patrick Krason wrote two resignation letters, including one addressed to West and one that was sent Monday to the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
Krason claimed in his letter that he learned of a “potentially serious criminal transaction” involving the Kanye 2020 campaign, saying Yiannopoulos “submitted falsified invoices and for expenses that would be considered illegal.”
These transactions were reportedly made in November 2022, before Krason assumed the role of treasurer.
He further claimed there was too much “personal animosity” for a professional relationship with Yiannopoulos – whose emails to Fuentes, a known white supremacist, and Alexander were also leaked by TMZ.
