On his 44th birthday, Kanye West still manages to surprise fans and haters alike, creating endless internet hype. A cultural icon in music, fashion, business and even politics?!, the recently estranged entrepreneur released the pre-order for the first drop from his upcoming YEEZY GAP line.

 

 

YEEZY GAP

Announced last year, the West and Gap partnership’s first physical piece of clothing is a bright blue Round Jacket made from recycled nylon. I’m sure I’m not the only one but damn, it really looks like a trash bag. I guess it literally is since the material is recycled. Either way, you have to give it up to Ye for making trash look good and fashionable.

 

To promote the product, floating projections of the product popped up in NYC, LA and Chicago.

NYC Locations: New Museum, 7 2nd Ave., 142 Spring St., 184 Wythe Ave.
LA Locations: Grammy Museum, Grand Central Market, Vine St. – Walk of Fame, 8340 Sunset Blvd.
Chicago Locations: 1601 N Milwaukee Ave., 1453 N Milwaukee Ave., 2053 Division St., 2113 N Sangamon St.

 

The launch actually shouldn’t come as a surprise since Kanye has been making his way around LA in the jacket over the last few days. Paired with a Christian-themed balaclava mask, the billionaire endured the heat to show off the jacket.

 

 

What’s up with the face covering?

In case you were wondering, Ye has been wearing a full face covering since DMX’s funeral and Twitter user @weareallwater speculates it’s because of the book The Minister’s Black Veil written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Kanye has neither confirmed nor denied this theory.

 

BREAKING: Kanye has been covering his face, and will continue to do so, because of the Nathaniel Hawthorne classic “The Minister’s Black Veil”. https://t.co/ACRC6s4TTo pic.twitter.com/ks5CNZKhpQ

— Water – Black Veil Ye Theory (@weallarewater) April 25, 2021

 

Kanye on the keyboard #DMXMemorial pic.twitter.com/iKvKraqfqz

— Photos Of Kanye West (@PhotosOfKanye) April 24, 2021

 

And the Nikes?!

Fans also noticed that in the same photo with the jacket, Kanye is wearing black canvas Nike Vandal sneakers with a white Swoosh. It’s been well documented that adidas affiliates and Nike affiliates don’t wear each other’s kicks or products. Let the speculation and rumors begin. Either way, all this is on the heels of his Nike Air Yeezy 1 “Grammy” prototype fetching $1.8 million USD at auction recently.

 

How to buy YEEZY GAP

Hate him or love him, the enigmatic Kanye does what he wants and the fashion world is at his mercy. The pre-order for the unisex Round Jacket is available to US residents only through gap.com/yeezy. Upon entering you will be asked for your name, email, phone, top size, bottom size, sneaker size and hat size. The $200 jacket ships in Fall 2021 and will probably be a Fashion Week staple. It’s available in M, L and XL.

 

 

Photos via Coleman-Raynar/Gap/YEEZY