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How Kanye's lusted-after Yeezy 350 V2 lost its hype
Over the course of nearly 13 hours, both the Adidas and Yeezy Supply sites were consistently updated with additional models. 31 different sneakers re-released in total that day, an unprecedented move for not only Yeezy, but any highly sought after line of sneakers.To get more news about uabat shoes, you can visit thebluesanoraks.com official website.
For those who picked up a pair (or more), it must have felt like a blessing. For those looking at the bigger picture, it spelled desperation: Why would Yeezy, which was once the most sought-after name in sneakers, need to re-release so many models at once? And even more curiously, why would Yeezy need to embark on a paid promotional campaign with the likes of Kicks Deals, Sneaker Shouts, and Sneaker Steal, which cover sneaker drops and deals? These Yeezy 350 V2s should have sold themselves.
The story of Yeezy’s decline in vogue can be told by the 350 V2, which is essentially the flagship sneaker of Adidas and West’s partnership. First released in 2016, it’s an update of the original 350, which existed in only four renditions: Turtle Dove, Pirate Black, Moonrock, and Oxford Tan. The 350 V2 is a whole different monster. More than 30 iterations have dropped in the past four years, with more versions still on the way. It was the 6th best selling sneaker of 2019, up from 9th in 2018. (An important distinction: the ranking is based on total revenue, not units, which is bolstered by the 350 V2’s high price tag of $220.)
For most sneakers, this would be a mark of success, but enthusiasm for the 350 V2 has plummeted amongst enthusiasts as the market has become oversaturated. The sneaker no longer sells out as quickly, and the resale market is grim. While the original quartet of 350s still resell for no lower than $800 on resale sites like StockX, some 350 V2 models can be found for as little as $239, just $19 over their retail price.
The idea of “too much of a good thing” is paramount to sneakerheads. The more attainable a sneaker becomes, the less desirable. Adidas famously released millions of pairs of the 350 V2 “Triple White” in 2018, finally making good on Kanye’s years-old promise of “Yeezys for everyone.” But democratization doesn’t drive yearning. The shoe has become mainstream enough to be found on Wall Street types and other guys far from the zeitgeist. Even if it’s selling well, is this really the crowd Adidas and Kanye want?
You can’t blame Adidas for not wanting to wait as long for success, but it still should have shown more restraint. And as of 2019, it has to an extent. The Yeezy brand didn’t grow last year, which was apparently according to plan. That massive 350 V2 “Triple White” release the year before led to record growth, which Adidas didn’t seek to replicate. It’s likely that the company realized how it hurt the brand, revenue aside.
Still, there are too many 350 V2s continuing to hit the market. Three new versions have already launched this year alone, and that figure will double this week with three regional-specific variants releasing around the world. The “pre-sale” market provides some indication of demand as those who’ve secured early pairs flip them for an inflated price. North America’s “Earth” colorway can be had already for around $300, signalling that the resale market will be even lower. Adidas CEO Kasper Rorsted told Footwear News in 2018 that he wasn’t worried about fatigue. Even if Yeezy is doing too much, Adidas is still doing great work with other non-athlete celebrities like Beyoncé and Jonah Hill.
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