The Gap Collaboration That Never Was

Kanye West’s announcement of his upcoming partnership with Gap led many to wonder about the company’s previously announced collaboration with the brand Telfar. Much to their disappointment, Gap officially confirmed that Yeezy Gap will actually occur in place of the originally planned Telfar x Gap. Gap has clarified that Telfar will be financially compensated for the cancellation, but the schedule change is a missed opportunity all the same.

Interestingly, many have applauded Nigerian-British designer Mowalola Ogunlesi becoming design director of Yeezy Gap as a victory for black creatives. Telfar is also a black-owned brand, a fact that opens itself to speculation about whether or not the same praise would be elicited from the public if the partnership with Gap had actually transpired. This conjecture is further substantiated by the brand’s fan base’s anticipation for the prospective collaboration and eventual letdown when it did not come into fruition. Nonetheless, the possibility of a future partnership with Telfar has not been completely eliminated, as design samples for the intended unification are still in Gap’s possession. More importantly, Gap continuing to ally with black-owned brands will bring black creatives the mainstream prominence that they deserve.

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https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/news-analysis/kayne-west-yeezy-gap-collab-telfar http://www.telfar.net/collections/SS2018/lookbook/4

Report: Nia Hunt