Fresh off the launch of Yeezy Gap engineered by Balenciaga, Ye is continuing to build his brand through new emblem filings.
Ye made headlines last month by filing a trademark for a decidedly simple logo with endless possibilities. Making the most of his Mascotte Holdings, Inc — an umbrella aligned in name with his first clothing company — Kanye West trademarked a symbol built off two concentric circles, the inner being flat and the outer fluted.
Filing for the new logo came after resolved litigation with Wal-Mart over Yeezy’s spark logo that was eerily similar to that of the multinational retail corporation. Dating back to the days of the Yeezus Tour and West’s attempts to make waves in fashion, the rapper/designer has spoken bluntly about his desires to compete with Wal-Mart, an enterprise currently worth over $365 billion.
Last week, West doubled down on his new logo by adding another caveat: the color blue.
Initially, the blank black and white circles mark was meant to be used for retail stores, all items of apparel, and online ordering. Now, the blue-based symbol is identified for literally every type of wearable piece, able to score smocks, berets, ski wear, flip flops, sneakers, and more.
Keen eyes will notice that the shade of blue is eerily similar to the Gap logo’s color, as well as the Jesus is King vinyl. While West’s recent work with Gap in collaboration with Balenciaga subverted the retail chain’s notorious font with Demna’s dark tones and oversized cuts, it’s reported that said launch was merely a one-off and a starting point for the next iteration of Yeezy Gap.
As Kanye continues to progress like a high fashion creative director, there’s major weight in him having his own logo that’s particular but not overpowering. Though Ye zigs and zags in his approach to minimalism versus maximalism, he’s always considered himself a brand — one that’s now worth over a billion dollars — and stands as his own empire the same way.
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It’s worth noting too that the trademark process takes time, typically 12 to 18 months. With West looking to play chess not checkers, these future-oriented moves all matter when considering the next steps for his enterprise in both apparel, footwear, and retail.
In 2022, West has filed for YZYSPLY trademarks in what appears to be an effort to open his own storefronts. Perhaps this branding will headline marquees around the world, needing no translation to tell who’s behind it. Once again, Ye is getting in front of his next move.
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