Kanye & Demna’s Yeezy Gap Engineered by Balenciaga Launches First Release
Written by SOURCE on February 23, 2022
Yeezy Gap Engineered by Balenciaga, previously billed as a “new creative exploration” that exists within the larger Yeezy Gap universe, has introduced its first limited release.
As fans will recall, the artist formerly known as Kanye West signaled the impending launch of this “creative exploration” with Balenciaga creative director Demna by sharing a legal documents excerpt to Instagram in January. A press release that month provided greater context on the project, noting that Yeezy Gap Engineered by Balenciaga pieces would be made available worldwide this year alongside the continuation of the Yeezy Gap rollout.
Ahead of Wednesday’s unveiling, photos of the discussion-spurring pieces started making the rounds on social media. Meanwhile, a countdown clock on the Yeezy Gap site was reset to add an additional hour early that morning, just as some fans were expecting a reveal, only to be reset again later the same day. Amid Donda 2 event festivities in Miami, fans were given an even closer look at what to expect.
Per a press release, the first eight styles—including a denim jacket and pant, as well as tees and a hoodie—have been designed to pay tribute to Gap’s “timeless American icons” while also continuing Ye’s larger approach of presenting all of his artistic endeavors in a uniquely complementary fashion.
The inaugural selection of Yeezy Gap Engineered by Balenciaga pieces are available starting Wednesday via Yeezy Gap and Farfetch. In terms of prices, fans can expect to pay $240 for the Dove Hoodie, $140 for the Dove ¾ Sleeve Tee, $140 for the Dove Longsleeve Tee, $140 for the Dove No Seam Tee, $180 for the Fitted Sweatpants, $440 for the Padded Denim Jacket, and $220 for the 5 Pocket Denim Pants.
For more, head to the Yeezy Gap site. Last month, Complex broke down what we want to see from Ye and Demna with this project. Revisit that here. Wednesday, the Yeezy Gap Engineered by Balenciaga team also shared an expansive selection of aesthetically pleasing lookbook shots, which you can see in full below.
This week, Ye fans are expecting the release of Donda 2, which on Tuesday signaled the kickoff of its Stem Player-focused state of existence with a special performance experience. According to Ye, the Donda Experience Performance was designed to serve as both a Donda 2 “listening” and a Donda 1 “performance.”
The reintroduction of Yeezy Tech and Kano Computing’s Stem Player device, meanwhile, has helped place a greater emphasis on the criticisms a growing number of artists have made regarding the lopsidedness of the current streaming infrastructure. Kano CEO Alex Klein spoke with Complex last December, sharing his predictions for the art-enabling device and detailing the impact of Ye’s Sunday Service series on its development.
