This article was published on December 15, 2021 and updated on February 13 to reflect the worldwide restock
Brand: YEEZY GAP
Model: Round Jacket
Price: $200
Release Date: February 13
Buy: YEEZY GAP's website
Editor's Notes: It's finally here. After the YEEZY GAP Round Jackets launched individually by color, Kanye West (AKA Ye)'s instantly sold-out layering piece is receiving its largest drop to date.
The Round Jacket previously returned in all three previously-seen colorways and sizes, encompassing everything from XXS-XXXL. Now, the black colorway is receiving another international drop. Shipping will take 4-6 weeks, apparently, which is fairly normal for Ye's merch drops and will still give customers some time to wear their puffy new jackets before spring is sprung.
There's been much ballyhoo about the squishy, flashy garment, which the New York Times described as "a safety hazard" that draws equal parts criticism and adoration from onlookers.
Some fans online have sniffed about YEEZY GAP's price tag — $200 for a jacket and $90 per hoodie — disappointed that Ye's partnership with a fast-fashion giant wouldn't be more affordable.
Other devotees defend the cost, of course. They say it's justifiable for carefully considered product that took years to develop.
In fairness, the YEEZY GAP line — all two pieces of it so far — is indeed pretty distinct, especially for any thing bearing the name of a giant chain retailer.
Unlike anything else on the market, YEEZY GAP fills a niche that YEEZY Season seemed poised to fill, manifesting Ye's stylistic demands in a relatively affordable package — recall that even after the sky-high YEEZY Season 1 prices were diminished in further drops, the goods never really hit as hard or as quickly as YEEZY GAP, rarely selling out.
Despite affecting a similar loungewear style, YEEZY Season was a little more luxurious, a little more elevated, a little more exclusive, what with all its runway shows and fancy zines.
YEEZY GAP is another story entirely.
It's Ye's biggest commercial swing in terms of apparel and it's a home run so far, proving very lucrative for both him and GAP.
If anything, expect more of these outsized international releases in coming months.
