Balenciaga and Vogue end ties with Kanye West over anti-semitic remarks
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Los Angeles: Spanish luxury fashion house Balenciaga has severed ties with rapper Kanye West over his controversial anti-semitic remarks. It is the first company to take such an action since the controversy started brewing a few weeks ago.
West made comments about "Jewish media" and said he was going to go "deaf con 3 on Jewish people". He later apologised for the statements.
Kering, the parent company, in an official statement, said that Balenciaga has no longer any relationship nor any plans for future projects related to this artist. Responding to the development, West told Bloomberg: "God runs the world. We perform only for God. We serve only God. God bless."
Kanye West accused retailer Gap of breaching the contract last month and the two ended the partnership. The rapper and luxury house had collaborated for his Yeezy line with Gap. He also walked for Balenciaga's Paris fashion show.
Balenciaga head Demna Gvasalia and West were reported to have a close relationship. Gvasalia attended the Yeezy show in which West debuted "White Lives Matter" shirts. West's former wife Kim Kardashian is also known for featuring in many Balenciaga campaigns.
Many companies associated with Kanye West in the past have been silent on his anti-semitic remarks on social media and in interviews. Adidas had already put its nine-year-long relationship with West under review after the launch of White Lives Matter shirts.
Vogue also broke ties with him and he has been reportedly informed that he is "no longer part of the inner circle." A Vogue spokesperson said editor-in-chief Anna Wintour intends never to work with West again. Wintour has been a supporter of West and Kim Kardashian for over a decade.
The rapper has been constantly making controversial remarks over social issues in the recent past. The family of George Floyd is planning to sue the singer for the baseless remarks he made after Floyd's death.