Kanye West. Evan Agostini/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
Adidas is opening an investigation into allegations that the model purposefully ignored misconduct claims made towards former collaborator Kanye West.
“It’s at present not clear whether or not the accusations made in an nameless letter are true,” the model wrote in a Friday, November 25, assertion to Us Weekly. “Nevertheless, we take these allegations very severely and have taken the choice to launch an impartial investigation of the matter instantly to deal with the allegations.”
Rolling Stone reported earlier this month that members of the athletic model’s board had ignored claims that West, 45, had been verbally abusive towards workers. Within the journal’s exposé, a number of former Yeezy workers penned an open letter to Adidas, accusing West of bullying, repeatedly enjoying porn and sharing express photographs — together with snaps of ex-wife Kim Kardashian — throughout enterprise conferences. The “Well-known” rapper has but to publicly handle the allegations.
“It was very revealing and private. I didn’t actually react,” one former staffer anonymously informed Rolling Stone within the article. One other added: “He’s like, ‘What do you consider it?’ Not laughing in any respect.”
The “Stronger” rapper inked a partnership with Adidas in 2013 to promote merchandise from his Yeezy clothes line, together with his in style sneakers. The footwear model introduced final month that they’d severed their model deal in mild of West’s antisemitism controversy.
“Adidas doesn’t tolerate antisemitism and every other kind of hate speech,” Adidas stated in an October 25 assertion. “Ye’s latest feedback and actions have been unacceptable, hateful and harmful, they usually violate the corporate’s values of range and inclusion, mutual respect and equity.”
The assertion concluded: “After an intensive evaluation, the corporate has taken the choice to terminate the partnership with Ye instantly, finish manufacturing of Yeezy branded merchandise and cease all funds to Ye and his corporations. Adidas will cease the Adidas Yeezy enterprise with speedy impact.”
West made headlines earlier in October after he shared a number of antisemitic messages on Instagram and Twitter, posting conspiracy theories and revealing that he needed to go “loss of life con 3” on Jewish individuals.
“I’ll say I’m sorry for the those that I harm with the ‘loss of life con’ 0,” West later apologized throughout an October 19 look on Piers Morgan Uncensored. “I really feel like I brought on harm and confusion. And I’m sorry for the households of the those that had nothing to do with the trauma that I had been by, and that I used my platform the place you say harm individuals harm individuals. I used to be harm.”
Whereas the Yeezy designer has continued to defend his actions, he’s misplaced million-dollar model offers. Balenciaga, Hole, Vogue journal and CAA (Artistic Arts Company) have all reduce ties with the rapper, along with Adidas. Instagram and Twitter additionally each briefly banned his accounts a number of occasions, although Elon Musk — who not too long ago bought Twitter — has since reactivated West’s account.
In October, shortly earlier than Adidas introduced the tip of their longtime partnership, the corporate famous that they have been reviewing the collaboration. West, for his half, was publicly upset concerning the information.
“F–Okay ADIDAS. ADIDAS RAPED AND STOLE MY DESIGNS,” the Grammy Award winner claimed in a since-deleted Instagram submit on the time.
