A $200 recycled nylon puffer jacket is the first item revealed in the hotly anticipated Yeezy Gap collaboration.
The bright blue unisex “round” jacket debuted late Monday night on Gap.com for pre-order for sizes medium, large and extra-large. The jacket is currently available on backorder with an estimated ship date of Oct. 14.
Though a Yeezy spokesperson told Rivet parts of the brand’s partnership with Gap will be produced in the U.S., manufacturing details for the jacket were not released.
Shoppers on the site were met with a questionnaire about their name and email as well as sizing information for tops, bottoms, sneakers and hats.
The Kanye West-owned brand shook the fashion industry out of its pandemic slumber last June when it announced it entered a multi-year deal with the heritage mall brand to produce a line of co-branded apparel and accessories. Under West’s creative direction, the Yeezy design studio will “deliver modern, elevated basics for men, women and kids at accessible price points,” Gap stated in a press release. Under the terms of the partnership, Gap and Yeezy benefit as the business grows, with Yeezy receiving royalties and potential equity related to sales targets.
Mystery has shrouded the collection ever since, with fans largely in the dark about when they can get their hands on the highly covered products. In March, Bloomberg reported that the line’s first arrivals could launch in July. Just last week, however, Gap Inc. CEO Sonia Syngal remained mum about the launch date or any other details surrounding the collection, though she said the topic has generated loads of curiosity.
“It’s the number one question we get,” she said during the company’s Q1 earnings call. “And every day, with customers and across social media, we see the hype building from speculation around the product’s supposed launch dates. Yeezy Gap is a work in progress and remains a significant opportunity for us.”
Coyness aside, the unique pairing between West’s brand—built largely on its exclusivity—and a multi-generational household brand name like Gap stands to be a major win for both parties. A report from Bloomberg citing UBS Group analysis indicated that the pairing could be worth as much as $970 million.
Part of Yeezy Gap’s success will likely be owed to its own hype machine. To fete the first launch, floating projections of the nylon jacket can be seen in various spots across New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago.
Gap also scrubbed its official Instagram account of all previous posts and replaced its logo with the Yeezy Gap version. All that remains is a floating image of the blue jacket. Comments on the single post signal enthusiasm for the launch, with @big_nikka69 writing, “YEEZY SZN APPROACHING” and @mannysantacruz adding, “WEST DAY EVER.”