Barbie and the multi-million dollar partnership: Adidas Yeezy and Crocs cases

Are we talking about an abruptly ended partnership or partnerships stemmed from the film and catchphrases on the Internet, collections of clothes, accessories or shoes, released in collaboration with celebrities or with those brands that now represent pop icons, always manage to get people talking. And they most often turn out to be gods. millionaire business.

Kick and climb Adidas Yeezy

Examples abound, but last in chronological order is the strange case of the shoes. Yeezy created by Adidas in collaboration with the singer Kanye West and be at the center of a global scandal. Last October, the rapper and producer, now also known by the pseudonym Ye, posted several anti-Semitic posts on his social profiles: the day after the publication, Adidas broke off a collaboration that had been going on successfully since 2015. As of June 2, 2023, the German company has also received orders for approx.up to 4 million pairs of designer Yeezy sneakers

: turnover is over $508 million. To place their orders, customers had to pre-register online and submit their requests for certain models only. So what happened? In the seven months since his divorce from Kanye West and the subsequent halt in sales of the “accused” models, the sportswear giant has calculated that destroying its Yeezy stock would cost around 500 million euros. Therefore, it was decided to offer it again to the public, providing for the donation of a significant part of the proceeds to charities fighting racism and anti-Semitism.

Return to the market after the stop

Strong demand, far exceeding Adidas’ expectations, dispelled concerns about possible toxicity Yeezy brand after E’s incredible forays last fall. The consolation remains minimal when you consider that between 2015 and 2022, the partnership with Kanye West generated an amount equal to 1.7 billion euros in sales and almost $ 700 million in operating profit for the famous German brand. Stratospheric success marked by Kanye West himself in 2016 with a provocative tone single called Facts, in which he argued with Adidas’ direct competitor Nike. However, the relationship between Nike and the rapper was not always so deplorable, quite the contrary: from 2009 to 2013, E launched the first issues Yeezy sneakers

and then, out of the blue, walk away in search of more creative freedom. Returning to the revived Adidas Yeezy, in addition to selected charities to which Adidas will give more than 8.5 million euros, other parts of the proceeds will have to cover Ye’s fees and costs associated with ending the partnership, laying off staff at legal costs.

Crocs for Barbie: the latest in a viral collaboration

From an aborted but profitable partnership to a newly born but already record-breaking one: let’s talk about barbie Crocs, a collection released a few days ago by the infamous brand of perforated plastic clogs, dedicated to the fashion icon of the year. After barbie movie release it almost seems like everything the famous doll touches turns to gold: having crossed the billion-dollar threshold at the global box office, the Warner Bros film continues to generate multimillion-dollar merchandising merchandise, from playing cards to clothing, from decor to music hits. Even before the film’s release in theaters, Zara, the low-cost clothing giant, released a small clothing collection inspired by the outfits worn by the main character Margot Robbie; followed by Asos Design, Superga and Primark. All this despite the fact that the prices of vintage doll models skyrocket, reaching even 2 thousand euros for some copies released between the 1960s and 1980s. Now it’s Croc’s turn

shoes, hitherto considered the emblem of “ugly shoes” (literally “ugly shoes”) and associated in the collective imagination with hospital wards: perhaps due to their comfort, original design and variety of colors available, they are especially widespread among doctors and nurses. WITH Crocs for Barbie Collection, the American company released five models in a severely shocking pink, with a doll profile, a cascade of sequins and a logo in italics. Models that are already on sale on the site dominate: classic clogs cost $59.99 (about 53 euros), models with shiny wedges reach 75 euros. Each boot can be personalized with themed pendants, pins and embellishments.