Kanye West is considered to be a genius when it comes to the music world. He has delivered a plethora of classic albums that have changed the scope of music, and even in 2021, he has continued to find new ways to innovate. For years, Kanye has made it clear that he has bigger aspirations than just music, though. He has been a staple of the fashion industry since 2009, which is around the time he started getting involved with Nike. After leaving the Beaverton brand in 2015, Kanye quickly joined Adidas where he created his very own Yeezy imprint.
Starting with the Adidas Yeezy Boost 750, Kanye was already beginning to show signs that he wanted to go where no other sneaker designer had gone before. This philosophy was reiterated on the Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 and later, the 350 V2. In 2017, Kanye broke ground once again, this time with the Adidas Yeezy Boost 700 "Wave Runner" which ushered in the dad shoe era that has yet to come to an end. At the time of the 700's release, fans were starting to believe that Ye had lost his mind. Little did they know, they hadn't seen anything yet.
Over the past couple of years, Kanye has come out with some truly head-scratching designs. On the surface, these shoes have no business being a success, as they are completely outside of the norm of what sneakerheads are used to. Despite this, Kanye's name is what carries the most weight, and it has allowed each shoe to enjoy quite a bit of market popularity. A perfect example of this is the Adidas Yeezy Knit RNR which was released just last week. Despite being roasted on social media, the sneaker sold out immediately, leaving numerous Yeezy fans crying with their credit cards in their hands.
The shoe serves as a reminder that Ye could make anything, and people are going to enjoy it. So with that in mind, we have decided to take a look at some of Kanye's weirdest shoes, whether they be prototypes or models that have already made it to the market.
5. Adidas Yeezy x Derrick Rose
Derrick Rose has been with Adidas since the start of his career, and as a fellow Chicago native, it only makes sense that he would eventually team up with the likes of Kanye West. During the Summer of 2020, there were rumblings of a fully-fledged collaboration between D Rose and Yeezy, although nothing has officially been announced or released. Despite this, Rose and Kanye have teased what appears to be one of the most bizarre Yeezys we have ever seen.
Considering this is Derrick Rose we're talking about, you would think that the shoe in question would be made specifically for basketball. If you look at the Instagram post above, however, you will quickly realize that this sneaker would be awful on the court. The entire thing looks like it was made out of the Michelin Man as various ridges are found all throughout the white upper. The shoe is chunky and fluffy while taking up a considerable amount of surface area on your feet. In a way, these are like wearing Yachts on your feet, although they do look comfortable all things considered.
There is no telling whether or not these will ever come out, although if they do, there is no doubt that they will get a thorough roasting on social media before eventually selling out online.
4. Adidas Yeezy 450
Image via Adidas
The Adidas Yeezy 450 is a shoe that was shown off years ago and was given the name "451." If you remember, the OG colorway was grey and blue, and the shoe was known for its shark-like midsole. In 2021, Kanye revealed to the world that the shoe would be called the Adidas Yeezy 450 and that it would finally be released on the market. Fans who have been following the sneaker game for a while now were excited about this prospect as this shoe was effectively the DONDA of the Yeezy brand.
While the hype was certainly there, it would be dishonest to say this is some sort of normal shoe. At the end of the day, it is simply a sock with a claw-like midsole that creates a truly one-of-a-kind aesthetic. When it was first shown off, everyone knew it was weird, and even today, fans have a hard time creating outfits with it. Regardless, this shoe is another example of just how much Kanye loves to innovate with his designs.
3. Adidas Yeezy "Coachella Scuba"
This sneaker remains one of the least talked about Yeezy prototypes of all-time, although that doesn't take away from its weird nature. Dubbed the "Coachella Scuba," this shoe first popped up back in 2019 when Kanye was touring the country with his Sunday Service troupe. The outfits worn by the group were always "unique," to say the least, and the "Coachella Scuba" was a part of the aesthetic.
As you can see in the photos above, the shoe is ultra-thin and might as well be a sock. Just like the name suggests, these shoes look pretty water-resistant, although they are so thin that they don't make sense in the context of an everyday outfit. They are pretty well impossible to style, and their utility always came across as wavering. It should be no surprise that these never made it to the market, although you can't deny that Ye was swinging for the fences here.
Perhaps if Kanye decides to make a full-on scuba-diving subset of Yeezy, we will see these again.
2. Adidas Yeezy Knit RNR
As previously mentioned, the Adidas Yeezy Knit RNR has been getting a lot of attention as of late thanks to the fact that this is the latest Yeezy silhouette to be released on the market. Simply put, these look like a pair of wooden clogs that one would wear centuries ago. The knit upper saves the aesthetic in a way, but that doesn't take away from the truly weird shape and loud initial colorway. Many fans have rightfully pointed out that these look like Mickey Mouse shoes, and other than that, there really isn't much else to say.
Once again, however, this shoe proves that Ye can sell anything he wants if his name is attached to it, so kudos to him. At this point, he truly has no incentive to ever release anything wearable again.
1. Adidas Yeezy Foam Runner
When the Adidas Yeezy Foam Runner was first introduced to the world via Kim Kardashian, the sneaker world freaked out. On this website, the terms "befuddled" and "bewildered" were used quite frequently as it was impossible to describe the shoe. With its foam-like makeup and croc-like aesthetic, the shoe just didn't seem very practical. Regardless, it caught everyone's attention and it had fans looking to score some pairs, especially at the $80 price point.
Eventually, the shoe became a massive success, with Kanye going on Joe Rogan and telling the podcaster that this is his favorite Yeezy sneaker so far. Kanye has always wanted to make a shoe without laces, so in his mind, this is his magnum opus. The enthusiasm has certainly caught on, and while you can't deny the belief Kanye has in his own products, you also have to acknowledge that these have no business being as popular as they are.
If New Balance made these, the company would be shut down tomorrow.
Let us know your pick for the weirdest Yeezy sneaker, in the comments below.