It looks like Kanye West is slowly easing back into a full schedule of projects and product releases. Earlier this month, the rapper alluded to a second Yeezy Gap Engineered by Balenciaga collection through a music video for his Donda track, “Life of the Party.”
The collection was set to drop today, but has been pushed back to Friday, May 27 due to Tuesday’s tragic elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
Second time’s the charm —
Although there hasn’t been an official announcement regarding what’s included in the second collection, the music video offered a closer look into what Gap, Ye and Balenciaga have been cooking. Their previous collaboration in February consisted of hoodies, t-shirts, and pants that combine the design ethos of each brand. @Yeezyxgap on Instagram has ramped up its sneak peaks of the collection lately, showing that the new capsule doesn’t stray too far from its previous blueprint.
The collection features drapey long sleeve shirts, cropped t-shirts, denim sets, and another puffy round jacket similar to the original Yeezy Gap line. Outerwear is a main theme here as a previously unseen rain jacket and pullover also appear in the visuals. Accessories are up for grabs this time too — a new element to the partnership — and include a slick, oversized black backpack, hats, gloves, and more bags.
Is three really a magic number? —
Yeezy Gap’s initial round of hoodies and round jackets dipped into the color wheel with iterations of blue and red, but after adding Balenciaga to the mix, the capsules haven’t made it past Yeezy’s signature earth tones. The new cropped Dove no-seam t-shirt is available in different colors, but everything else is made in a moody black shades. It makes sense considering Yeezy and Balenciaga are known for their dark utilitarian vibes, which leaves Gap, a brand known for its bright Americana heritage, caught in the wave.
Intentions for the three-way collab revolved around an “available to everyone at all times” message, but given its history of out-of-reach pricing and tricky website countdowns, it seems only the lucky will reap the fortune. Anyway, fans are always ready to wait out any Kanye West project and Balenciaga’s high status and popularity these days could make sales on even its most insulting pieces.
According to its website, the second Yeezy Gap Engineered by Balenciaga collection is postponed until Friday, May 27. “As we pause, our hearts go out to the families and communities impacted,” it reads. Those who were eager for the drop might see the delay as an inconvenience, but may we remember that there’s more to life than securing the next hyped hoodie.
