Never one to shy away from expressing his creativity, Kanye West has released some jaw-dropping Yeezy designs over the years. Since hitting our shelves back in 2013, the Yeezy collections have revolutionised sneaker design with their innovative and often futuristic look, and every time we think Ye’s reached his creative peak he releases another pair that blows the game wide open once again.
From funky, state-of-the-art materials, to weird and wacky design specs, Ye has used an array of tactics to make his shoes stand out from the crowd. Here are 4 of the most eye-catching Yeezy designs ever.
Yeezy Slide
With sliders all the rage, it was only a matter of time until Ye got in on the act by introducing his own wacky version of the popular fashion trend. The Yeezy Slide “Bone” employed an ultra-minimal aesthetic that featured very little branding, instead allowing the shoe’s unique design speak for itself.
While the design wasn’t a hit with everyone, others simply couldn’t get enough of them and they’re currently selling for up to 6 times their original RRP on the resale market. For fans of the look who were struggling to locate a pair for a good price, you’ll be delighted to know the original “Bone” colourway is about to receive a restock.
Semi-Frozen Yellow
Although not as “out there” as some of the other inclusions on this list, the “Semi-Frozen Yellow” was the first attention-grabbing colourway we’d seen on the Yeezy Boost v2 and it marked an age-defining change in direction for the silhouette.
Until that point, Ye had stuck to earthy, neutral colours, but without a doubt this shift to the funkier end of the colour spectrum helped propel the now-infamous silhouette to the next level, making the “Semi-Frozen Yellow” iteration one of the most important designs in the Yeezy portfolio.
RNRS
When it comes to head-turning designs, perhaps none can surpass the Foam RNNR Ararat, a hole-punched moulded slip-on constructed from an algae-based foam that looks like it could’ve been sent back in time from the year 3,000!
The shoe gathered a lot of attention on social media when images were first released, and while not all of it was welcome – many ridiculed the design and dubbed it the “Yeezy Croc” – Ye had the last laugh, with the RNNR Ararat flying off the shelves and currently fetching multiple times its retail value on the secondary market.
D Rose
The “D Rose” is yet to be released, but if the recent images shared on Kanye’s Twitter account are anything to go by this one’s set to be his most jaw-dropping release to date. The shoe’s all-in-one, sock-like style is unlike anything we’ve ever seen before. Reminiscent of a memory foam mattress that’s had a number of incisions made into it, this is one shoe that can’t be accused of playing it safe.
Whether or not this design will prove as popular as some of Ye’s other space-age designs, only time will tell. But if history has taught us anything, it’s that despite the inevitable mocking on social media, this design will probably end up selling for hundreds of pounds on the resale market in the next year or two.
While some of the most “out there” Yeezy releases might not be to everyone’s taste, these designs were never intended to be liked by all. The aim when bringing these boundary-pushing designs to market is innovation and to provide a little shock value. With that in mind, these 5 designs most certainly achieved their goal.
For a range of buy and sell options on Yeezy trainers, check out our resale market.