Kanye West — Yeezy's Rise and Implosion

At peak, Yeezy generated $1.7 billion in annual revenue for Adidas and was the most culturally influential sneaker brand since Air Jordan. Yeezy Boost 350s resold for 3x retail. Then Kanye made antisemitic comments, Adidas terminated the partnership, Gap followed, and he lost $1.5 billion in a single day — the fastest personal wealth destruction in modern business history. Adidas was left with $1.3 billion in unsold Yeezy inventory. The greatest rise-and-fall in celebrity fashion, and a permanent case study in what happens when the brand IS the person.