Luxury fashion house Balenciaga severs ties with Kanye West

Sources stated that Kanye and Balenciaga collaborated on his short-lived Yeezy line with retailer Gap

Kanye has made repeated anti-Semitic remarks since the start of October in interviews and on social media

According to sources, luxury fashion house Balenciaga said that it would no longer work with Kanye West, becoming the first company to sever ties with the rapper and designer after he made a series of controversial and anti-Semitic remarks in the last few weeks. Reports said that a statement by Balenciaga’s parent company Kering read, “Balenciaga has no longer any relationship nor any plans for future projects related to this artist.”

Also read: International stars dazzle the ramp for Balenciaga Fall Couture 2022

Sources stated that Kanye and Balenciaga collaborated on his short-lived Yeezy line with retailer Gap. The rapper and Gap ended their partnership last month after the artiste accused the brand of breaching its contract with him. Balenciaga head Demna Gvasalia and Kanye were reported to have a close relationship. He walked in Balenciaga's Paris fashion show, and Demna attended his Yeezy show - where Kanye debuted his ‘White Lives Matter’ shirts.

On the topic of the end of the collaboration, Kanye told a popular media house via text message on Friday, “God runs the world. We perform only for God. We serve only God. God bless.”

Kanye has made repeated anti-Semitic remarks since the start of October in interviews and on social media, but many of the companies affiliated with him have remained silent. After Kanye debuted the ‘White Lives Matter’ shirts at his show, Adidas said that it was putting its nine-year-long relationship with him under review. Sources added that this week, the Anti-Defamation League called on Adidas to sever its ties to the rapper.

Also read: Kanye West stirs controversy at the Paris Fashion Week by donning a T-shirt that read: White Lives Matter

Kanye also made comments about the ‘Jewish media’ saying that he was going to go “deaf con 3 on Jewish people” and apologised for some of his remarks this week. On Piers Morgan Uncensored, Kanye said he didn't regret his remarks, but, “I'm sorry for the families of the people that had nothing to do with the trauma that I have been through.” Reports also said that earlier this week, the family of George Floyd said that they intended to sue the rapper after he made baseless remarks about Floyd's death.