“Imma wear this as a male ngl” — Internet reacts as Kanye West announces women’s YZY line, and warns rival brands

On January 22, 2025, Kanye West announced on his Instagram that he would soon launch the YZY women's line. Although he deleted the post after some time, he called out corporations for allegedly using him to sell their products at a higher price point while ignoring his vision and direction.

He also seemingly called out Adidas for allegedly stopping his "Yeezy slides production during COVID only to copy the designs." He also referenced the character John Wick and his 2021 song Off The Grid.

"They didn’t care about my freedom or vision. Now my vision is coming to life, and I have a John Wick vendetta against every fashion company as my fellow Gemini Tupac said Die mutherf**ker. Die Now play off the grid," he wrote.

Seeing Kanye's post with the image of a black bodysuit, his fans showed their loyalty to the artist by saying they would buy women's clothes and wear them even though they were men. A netizen (@enriquehdzzz_) wrote in the comment section of the now-deleted post,

Fan says he will buy clothes from Yeezy women's line. [Image via Instagram/@ye]

While most fans commented on the Off the Grid reference, one fan (@zarites31peak) compared Yeezy to Skims, the brand of the rapper's ex-wife, Kim Kardashian.

Fans comment on Kanye West's post. [Image via Instagram/@ye]

One fan jokingly asked the rapper if a man could wear the bodysuit, and another called it Bianca Censori's COVID mask, referencing her controversial fashion.

Fans comment under the rapper's post. [Image via Instagram/@ye]

Fans comment under Kanye's Instagram post. [Image via Instagram/@ye]

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What happened between Kanye West and Adidas?

As per a New York Times report dated October 27, 2023, Kanye West worked with Fendi, A.P.C., and Nike in the past, but he did not have much creative control. In the summer of 2013, Kanye West expressed his desire to design shoes to Jon Wexler, then Adidas’s global entertainment and influencer marketing director.

In 2013, the rapper signed a deal with Adidas and, two years later, launched his first Yeezy collection in February. According to the New York Times, sales surpassed $1 billion annually, significantly boosting Adidas's sales.

Nic Galway, a top Adidas designer, told Hypebeast about working with Kanye West in an interview on December 11, 2015.

"He challenges everything but he puts full energy into how he challenges it, and you see the results. You think you’ve reached your limit and he shows you another limit. It’s limits hit, and I appreciate that hugely."

Galway shared how Adidas views celebrity collaborations and what the brand brings to the table.

"In terms of what we bring to them, I mean, we show them a different way of manufacturing, of innovation, of the tools that we have. And it’s always been a two-way discussion. We never endorse these people, it’s always a true collaboration."

Adidas Originals x Kanye West YEEZY SEASON 1 - Runway (Image via Getty)

Over the years, the rapper has made multiple controversial comments. In May 2018, in an interview with radio host Charlamagne Tha God, Kanye shared how he believed slavery was a choice.

"When you hear about slavery for 400 years … For 400 years? That sounds like a choice. You were there for 400 years and it’s all of y’all. It’s like we’re mentally imprisoned."

According to The Guardian, in October 2022, West wore a "White Lives Matter" T-shirt in Paris Fashion Week. In the same month, the rapper's Instagram and X accounts were suspended over multiple antisemitic statements.

In the same month, multiple brands, including Adidas, Balenciaga, Gap, Vogue, and JPMorgan Chase, cut ties with the rapper. According to The Hollywood Reporter's October 24, 2022 report, his agency, CAA, also cut ties with him.

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In other news, the rapper's documentary, In Whose Name? will be released in theatres in 2025.