Kanye West partners with Gap to bring Yeezy brand to clothing store

The rap superstar will design adult and kids’ clothing that will be sold at Gap’s stores next year.

A message from Kanye West is displayed on the exterior of the Gap store at 555 N. Michigan Ave.

NEW YORK — Kanye West is bringing his Yeezy brand to Gap.

The rap superstar will design adult and kids’ clothing that will be sold at Gap’s stores next year. Yeezy is best known for pricey sneakers that sell out online quickly. But Yeezy footwear, made with sneaker company Adidas, won’t be sold at Gap stores.

San Francisco-based Gap Inc., whose sales are dwindling, hopes the deal will keep it relevant with shoppers. For Yeezy, being in more than 1,100 stores worldwide could get the brand in front of more people.

On Friday, West tweeted a photo of what the collaboration might look like: bright colored hoodies, jackets and T-shirts. Shares of the retailer soared nearly 30%.

Kanye West attends the WSJ. Magazine 2019 Innovator Awards at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

West has a history with Gap. He worked at one of its stores in Chicago as a teenager. And he told Vanity Fair magazine back in 2015 that he wanted to be creative director of the brand.

As part of the deal announced Friday, Yeezy will receive royalties and possibly Gap stock if the line sells well.

UPDATE: The Gap’s Chicago flagship store at 555 N. Michigan Ave. on Sunday was wrapped from ground to rooftop and bore a handwritten message from West saying he used to shop there and felt “blessed” and “humbled” to again be part of the company.

“I love Tron the original,” he added cryptically. “Do you like stuff. I don’t know what to do with my hands.”