According to reports, Adidas has decided to include a pin with each new pair of Yeezys since their restock. The pin calls purchasers to "stand up to Jewish hate," a reference to Kanye West's antisemitic comments over the past year or so. Adidas cut ties with Kanye in October of 2022, after he Tweeted that he'd be going “death con [sic] 3 on Jewish people.”
Though Ye's antics and hate speech made it clear why the brand no longer wanted to be associated with him, the brand still had over $1 billion worth of Yeezy inventory. In order to offload the sneakers, they decided to do a restock. Some of the profits went to Adidas, some to Kanye, and the rest to the Anti-Defamation League and the Philonise & Keeta Floyd Institute for Social Change. Though the decision to restock remained controversial, it looks like the brand has taken steps to make their stance known.
Pins Call For Purchasers To Join Fight Against Anti-Semitism
One Twitter user claims to have purchased a pair of Yeezy Foam Runners recently, receiving the note and pin. “#StandUpToJewishHate by wearing, posting, and sharing the blue square, the universal symbol for fighting antisemitism," the note reads. It's part of Robert Kraft's recent contribution to the relaunch, which was reported earlier this month. Adidas teamed up with his Foundation to Combat Antisemitism, as part of an initiative to curb Jewish hate. The pins will be included with all North American orders.
The pins serve to acknowledge Kanye's hateful tirade against Jewish people. This is something that purchasers can appreciate, particularly if they were personally affected by Ye's antisemitic fallout. Though several stores have now started to sell Yeezys again, not every retailer is on board. Recently, it was reported that Foot Locker decided last minute not to restock the brand in their stores. Adidas' initial restock was massive, allowing them to offload $437 million worth of the sneakers.