Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 (2015)

Kanye West's collaboration with Adidas created the first sneaker since the Air Jordan 1 to fundamentally reshape the market. The Yeezy 350 V2's "SPLY-350" stripe, Boost midsole, and Primeknit upper became the most recognizable silhouette of the 2010s. At peak, Yeezy generated $1.7 billion in annual revenue for Adidas. Resale prices for limited colorways reached $1,000+. When Adidas terminated the partnership in 2022 following West's antisemitic statements, they were left with $1.3 billion in unsold inventory. The Yeezy proved a single celebrity could build a billion-dollar shoe brand — and that brand risk goes both ways.