Kanye West mocked for selling 'socks' as he launches $200 Yeezy Pods for women looking to ditch heels
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Rapper and fashion mogul Kanye West made headlines this week with the launch of his latest Yeezy product - a $200 sock-shoe hybrid.
However, the strange sock shoes have been met mostly with internet mockery and criticism rather than broad consumer enthusiasm, though they did garner some attention from women seeking comfortable footwear alternatives.
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Kanye West introduces new shoe called Yeezy Pod for $200.
— Pop Base (@PopBase) December 29, 2023
pic.twitter.com/6VcaMfdUXj
Yeezy Pods can be pre-ordered on his Yeezy website
On Thursday, December 28, West officially released the product, dubbed the Yeezy Pods, for preorder on his Yeezy website. The item resembles a pair of black socks with a thin sole at the bottom - essentially a sock-shoe hybrid. Available in three sizes, the sock shoes fold up for packing and are intended to provide a hands-free, comfortable footwear option.
While the Yeezy Pods haven't gained as much popularity among sneaker enthusiasts as his iconic Yeezy Boosts, they're presently capturing the curiosity of women who seek an alternative to navigating post-club hours in high heels, avoiding the awkward crab walk exit, per TMZ.
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The tech entrepreneur and self-proclaimed "greatest artist that God ever created" has been wearing the pods out in public for months alongside his new wife Bianca Censori. However, the odd Yeezy footwear marks West's first attempt to launch a new shoe product since cutting ties with Adidas late last year - a split that reportedly left Adidas stuck with over $500 million in unsold Yeezy inventory.
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Internet mocks Kanye West's Yeezy Pods
Despite West's ambitions to revolutionize footwear with the Yeezy Pods, the product has so far been met mostly with internet derision and emphatic rejections.
One user on X dismissively referred to the pods as "So…a sock?", another commented, "Oh, he’s desperate and needs money badly."
Expressing doubt about the product's marketability, a third user stated, "Nobody is gonna buy that, be serious." Another individual emphasized, "We won’t be buying."
The sentiment of disapproval reverberated further, as a fifth user bluntly stated, "No, just...no." Echoing concern for potential buyers, a sixth user remarked, "Feeling bad for those who'll buy these."
Kanye West's Yeezy Pods launch comes shortly after apology to Jewish community
The controversial sock shoe rollout comes on the heels of West issuing a formal apology to the Jewish community on December 26.
The apology came after West spent most of 2022 and 2023 facing backlash for making numerous antisemitic comments and perpetuating Jewish stereotypes and conspiracy theories across social media, interviews and public events.
In his apology statement, shared in Hebrew on Instagram, West wrote, “I sincerely apologize for any unintended outburst caused by my words or actions...It was not my intention to hurt or disrespect, and I deeply regret any pain I may have caused."
He went on to say he is "committed to learning from this experience to ensure greater sensitivity and understanding in the future."
This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.
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