Nike Yeezy: A Complete Rundown of the Now-Dead Partnership

Checks over Stripes? Guess it doesn’t matter much now when it comes to Yeezys. Because our man, Ye, couldn’t hold a relationship with either Nike or Adidas. Now if you’re a fan of Adidas Yeezys, know that the last restock is just around the corner. So, make sure you’re on your A-game when it comes to copping Yeezys for retail. We don’t want no Nike Yeezy-like regret, you know. Or better yet, click on the button below to get a full cheat sheet on how to cop sneakers for retail on release day. Trust us when we say, you’ll need it.

As for now, let’s go back in time to reminisce about them Nike Air Yeezys and see how they’ve come to be sneaker resellers’ most hefty investment. 

Nike Yeezy History 

So, we all know that Kanye West ruled over the sneaker industry for quite some time. Although Yeezy became highly linked to Adidas, you gotta know that Yeezy history didn’t start with Adidas. It started the minute Ye collaborated with the Swoosh back in 2007. Right when Nike decided to sign someone who wasn’t an athlete. And that was the very first time Nike broke out of the norm and dived right into the music industry. 

All Nike Air Yeezys To Ever Drop 

In 2008, Kanye wore different Yeezy prototypes, some of which have never been released. And in 2009, Ye and Nike finally dropped the first Nike Yeezy: Zen Grey Nike Air Yeezy I. In that same year, he dropped another two colorways: Blink and Net Tan. The trio dropped one after the other, in April, May, and June 2009. 

Each colorway of the high-top basketball-inspired shoe had the same structure. Perforated uppers and mid-strap with different detailing such as glow-in-the-dark soles and printing on the strap. The first generation of the Nike Air Yeezy retailed at $250 and flew off the shelves instantly. As for now, they’re selling for an average of 3k+ on the aftermarket.

And considering that there weren’t many sneaker bots back then, let’s just say that many sneakerheads ended up with a big fat L! Luckily, this has changed now, and you can always run one of the top sneaker bots in the game to get all the kicks you ever wanted. 

However, if it’s the Nike Air Yeezy sneakers you’re hooked on, then you only have one option. For past releases that you missed and still want to have so badly, reselling platforms are here for you! You might end uppaying 1,500% over the retail price. But you can’t put a price on love, can you?!

Nike Yeezy II

After that came the Nike Air Yeezy II, which dropped in 2012 in Pure Platinum and Solar Red. 5,000 pairs of each colorway dropped, retailing at $250. And then, as a shock drop, the Swoosh dropped the Red Octobers on February 9th, 2014. The infamous and iconic Red Octobers sold out within 11 minutes only! And now they’re one of the rarest Yeezys out there. 

So, prices of all the Nike Air Yeezy 2s quickly inflated to over $4000 on sites such as eBay, with a pair of ‘Red Octobers’ in a UK men’s size 8 driving bids as high as $16 million USD. Today you can find this Nike Yeezy selling for an average of $12,872 on sites like StockX. 

The silhouette of the second-generation Nike Air Yeezy was toned down to create a more casual vibe. The top was shorter and slimmer for a sleeker look. Egyptian-inspired styling elements included the god Horus on the tongue and hieroglyphics spelling out YZY under the strap. In addition to obelisk-shaped aglets at the end of each lace. Reptilian features included molding protruding from the heel counter and a snakeskin pattern on the back quarters.

Nike Yeezy: The End 

Kanye West and Nike’s relationship began to fall out shortly before the Red October release. And during his performance at the 2013 MTV Music Awards, Ye decided to add yet another controversial moment to the archives. He full-on vented his heart out as he complained about how badly Nike’s been treating him. 

Do you know who the head of Nike is? West asked. No, well let me tell you who he is: His name is Mark Parker, and he just lost culture. Everyone at Nike, everyone at Nike, Mark Parker just let go of culture.

I’m talking directly to you. No miscommunication, West went on. Did you not want the Yeezys? Nike would make you believe it was my fault that you couldn’t get them, but that was not the case. I wanted there to be as many Yeezys as there was LeBrons, and I wanted them to be at a good price, but that was not my choice, and we’re going to change everything. And … I’m going to create more than you think that any musician in the history of time ever could have.

All in all, Kanye West felt that his designs and skills deserved much more control and royalties than what Nike was offering. And so, to Adidas, he went! That partnership started as all rainbows and sunshine and ended up in beaten-up partners- financially, that is. But with the 2023’s Yeezy retsock, they might as well have cut back on their losses a little bit.

Extra Information

For more information on all Nike Yeezys to ever drop, take a look at the table below. And for a complete rundown on everything Adidas Yeezy-related, click here!