Why are Yeezys so Expensive?

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Yeezy which is the collaboration between Kanye West and Adidas is one of the most iconic sneakers to be released today. With the partnership first being announced in 2013 we have seen many releases such as the 350, 750 and 950 all ranging from $200 – $600. Since its initial release to the public multiple consumers have asked the question “why are Yeezys so Expensive? “

Simply put the reason why yeezys are so expensive is for a number of factors such as branding, being a luxury item and notably high resale prices all of which we are going to look at in more detail below.

Why are Yeezys so expensive? Your questions answered

Branding

Ultimately the real reason the yeezy can have a higher price point is due to branding. For starters, Kanye West’s influence and reach are worldwide and over the years he has become a powerhouse within the fashion industry.

Secondly part of the rollout for yeezy shoes saw Kanye West personally gifting celebrities a pair which of course is great marketing and promotion. From the likes of DJ Khaled to President Obama, Kanye West personally gifted the sneaker to a select few.

What does this do?

Create demand for the sneaker!

This is what happens when Adidas & Kanye come together to create a powerful brand

Resale (Supply & Demand)

Now when people pose the question, why are yeezys so expensive we have to look into 2 factors

1. Retail Pricing
2. Resale Pricing

Retail Pricing

As I mentioned in the introduction the Yeezy shoes range from $200 – $600. Many people may view this as a high price point; however what’s interesting about this is when you compare other designer sneakers from brands such as Dior, Chanel, and Prada the Yeezy is relatively cheaper.

Though Adidas is predominately a sportswear brand it has positioned its Yeezy sneakers as a luxury item, which makes it more affordable than many others in it’s class.

Resale Pricing

Hype culture certainly surrounds the Yeezy which means majority of the time it selling out in a couple of minutes online and massive lines of people patiently waiting in front of physical stores around the world to buy only to be resold online on platforms such as stock x or eBay etc..

(Take a look for yourself – Here)

I have even spoken to people in many instances who don’t particularly like the sneaker design or Kanye West yet they are willing to wait hours in line to get a pair to flip it online.

It’s just simple supply and demand and here’s what I mean

Adidas will manufacture a certain amount of sneakers periodically for sale and if there are more consumers wanting to purchase the sneaker than what has been mass-produced this is what ultimately creates that supply and demand factor which skyrockets the price.

Also, certain sizes will be more frequent and easy to get such as men’s size 9, however, larger men’s shoes will be harder to come by also creating the supply and demand issue.

So for those really wanting the sneaker, it comes down to one thing and that’s paying the resale price

HYPEBEAST CULTURE + HIGH DEMAND + LOWER SUPPLY = POTENTIAL PROFITS

(Kanye has mentioned in the past his intentions to sell more affordable sneakers and by affordable I mean under the price point of $100 at retail with more supply and availability) This should be introduced by Kanye and Adidas in the near future.

Capitalism and Hypebeast Culture

If there’s one thing we know for sure it’s that both capitalism and hypebeast culture will never fade. The want, need and desire to have the latest product will always be a “thing” and if that comes in the form of splashing out on yeezys then that’s what consumers will do.

This reminds me of the famous Kanye Lyrics from all falls down

“Then I spent four hundred bucks on this

Just to be like, “Nigga, you ain’t up on this.”

Which pretty much describes the hypebeast mentality!

So Kanye and Adidas will price what they believe we will pay and it works every single time!

What are the most expensive Yeezys?

(Image via Stock X )

The most expensive yeezys are the Nike Air Yeezy 2 SP Red October.

Its resale price tag ranges from $11,000 – $17,000. Price is also dependent on the size as I mentioned before

(Take a look for yourself – HERE)

Prior to Kanye partnering with Adidas, he worked with Nike on different pieces such as Nike Air Yeezy 2 NRG and Nike Air Yeezy 1. Both at high resales, however, nothing comes close to the red Octobers!

The red Octobers sold out in just 11 minutes and retailed for $300 at the time! You won’t see that retail price again!

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Conclusion

So now you understand why the Yeezy shoes are expensive.

With the success of Yeezy, Adidas has also created many sneakers with a similar style, material, and tech such as Adidas Ultra Boost, Adidas Originals Tubular Shadow Knit, and the Adidas AlphaBounce.

The Yeezy sneaker has also influenced many different brands to create and emulate similar designs.

Nike and under armour have created similar styling sneakers due to the influence of the Yeezy and many others.

Now that you know why yeezys are so expensive, find out why bape costs a few dollars too