Before Kanye West was Ye, the rapper/producer/artist from Chicago’s Southside was embedded in footwear. As he ascended from being the Louis Vuitton Don to an official collaborator, Ye delivered a litany of revolutionary aesthetics and designs that shaped an entire culture (and arguably) an entire generation.
In 2009, Kanye West introduced the sneaker and fashion world to a trio of Nike Air Yeezy 1 colorways: “Blink,” “Zen Grey,” and “Net Tan.”
In the following years, Ye dropped three a trinity of Nike Air Yeezy 2 colorways: “Solar Red,” “Pure Platinum,” and the notorious “Red October.”
However, his partnership with Nike would come to an end as Ye desired more creative control and royalties over his Nike Air Yeezy line. Unfortunately, Nike only granted royalties and extended creative control to its athletes, thus ending the era of the Nike Air Yeezy lineup.
So Ye ventures out and eventually comes to terms with adidas in 2015 when the adidas Yeezy journey unfolds. In a short manner, adidas and Ye would become the epicenter of sneakers, streetwear, and fashion.
Take a detailed look at every adidas Yeezy released from 2015 to 2021 below. Keep it locked on Nice Kicks and the Yeezy release dates page for more.
2015
adidas Yeezy Boost 750 “Light Brown”
The adidas Yeezy Boost 750 “Light Brown” kicked off one of the greatest legacies in the sneaker and fashion communities. This release arrived during All-Star weekend, with fans reportedly camping out for days on end for a chance to cop the musician’s first signature adidas model.
adidas Yeezy Boost 350 “Turtle Dove”
Ye’s first low-top model kicks off the legendary run of the 350 series. The adidas Yeezy Boost 350 “Turtle Dove” spearheaded a new age of sneakers that continues to keep a tight grip on the sneaker community.
adidas Yeezy Boost 350 “Pirate Black”
After another successful release, the adidas Yeezy Boost 350 “Pirate Black” debuts, sending the sneaker realm into a frenzy. The shoe’s versatility has made it one of the most sought-after pairs nearly a decade after its release.
adidas Yeezy 950
After the release of the groundbreaking “Pirate Black” 350, Ye debuts the adidas Yeezy 950 in five different colorways dubbed “Pirate Black,” “Moonrock,” “Peyote,” “Turtle Dove,” and “Chocolate.” Each Boot was seen during the early days of Ye’s YEEZY Season clothing line. The 950s are some of the most expensive pairs to release to the public, retailing at $585 each.
adidas Yeezy Boost 350 “Moonrock”
In line with the earth-like tonal hues of the first YEEZY season clothing line, Mr. West revisits the 350 models and debuts the “Moonrock” colorway. His choice of tonal earthy tones was the perfect compliment to the early Yeezy season pieces.
adidas Yeezy Boost 750 “Triple Black”
With the success of black Yeezy’s, the artist returns to the 750 series and gifts fans an early Christmas present. This time the adidas Yeezy 750 debuts in the fan-favorite “Triple Black” colorway.
adidas Yeezy Boost 350 “Oxford Tan”
The final silhouette in 2015 is the adidas Yeezy Boost 350 “Oxford Tan.” Fans were gifted a late Christmas present from West. To date, the “Oxford Tan” remains one of the most coveted silhouettes from the OG lineup.
2016
adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 “Beluga”
The adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 “Beluga” was the first silhouette from the V2 series to be introduced to fans. This offering arrived in a Primknit upper with solar red labeling on the sides. This pair set the groundwork for numerous other V2s over the next six years.
Along with the debut of the “Beluga” and the start of Yeezy Season 3, Ye releases four additional adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2s, “Black/Red,” Black/Green,” Black/Copper,” and “Oreo.” The V2 series came with two noteworthy changes, first is the absence of the pull tab seen on the previous drops. Other design tweaks include colored stirpes with “SPLY-350” branding on the lateral side. During this time, Kanye’s seventh studio album “The Life Of Pablo” debuted, which led fans to speculate that “SPLY” was an acronym for “Saint Pablo Loves You.”
Over time, the sneaker community began to accept that the bizarre lettering was a marketing technique used to drive the hype of the V2 line, despite never being confirmed by adidas or West.
In addition to his latest line of 350s, Ye debuts the adidas Yeezy Boost 750 “Chocolate.” The colorway is reminiscent of the adidas Yeezy 950 colorways. However, 2016 would be the last time fans would see a release of the renowned 750 silhouettes.
2017
adidas Yeezy Boost 700 “Waverunner”
As we head closer into the next decade, Ye and his genius debut the adidas Yeezy Boost 700 “Waverunner.” This release kicks off the renowned “dad shoe” trend with its chunky build and unique color-blocking palette.
adidas Yeezy Powerphase Calabasas
Release Date: 03/28/2017 // 12/09/2017
Continuing with the “dad shoe” trend, Ye launches the first pair of the adidas Yeezy Powerphase in the “Grey” and “White” colorways. Alongside this release, the adidas Calabasas apparel made its debut in March of 2017.
adidas Yeezy 350 Boost V2 “Zebra”
Perhaps one of the most sought-after 350 silhouettes is the adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 “Zebra.” After the release of the Zebras, the pair sent the sneaker community into a frenzy and was considered the “it shoe” for the rest of 2017. Due to its success, the pair continues to be restocked five years after its initial release.
After the success of the adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 “Beluga” the creatives at adidas and Yeezy released the adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 “Bred.” The absence of the stripped “SPLY 350” branding was the most noteworthy design twist. Additionally, the “Semi Frozen Yellow,” “Beluga 2.0,” and “Blue Tint” were released in the same design motif. To switch things up, the Yeezy Boost 350 V2 “Cream White” was released without any adidas or Yeezy branding on the uppers.
2018
adidas Yeezy 500 “Blush”
Around this time, Virgil announced his partnership with Nike launching the OFF-WHITE x Nike “The Ten” collaboration. In order to continue to be a game-changer, Ye released four adidas Yeezy 500s, leading with the “Blush” iteration.
The 500 marked the first time a Yeezy silhouette did not use any Boost technology and instead used adiprene soles.
adidas Yeezy 500 “Super Moon Yellow”
Next up, the 500 saga continues with the release of the adidas Yeezy 500 “Super Moon Yellow.” Ye continues to update the 500 series in earth-like tones to match his annual Yeezy Season apparel.
adidas Yeezy 500 “Utility Black”
Going back to the all-black colorway, the adidas Yeezy 500 “Utility Black” debuts during the summer of 2018. The pair was an instant hit among fans thanks to another versatile black colorway.
adidas Yeezy 500 “Salt”
Fans of the 500 series were treated to one final offering in 2018. The adidas Yeezy 500 “Salt” was released in a grey colorway, adding to Ye’s use of neutral tones.
adidas Yeezy 700 Boost V2 “Salt”
Ye introduces his fans to the newest chapter of the 700 line: the adidas Yeezy Boost 700 V2. The “Salt” colorway featured a multi-grey-covered upper with hints of white accents. The greyscale colorway was reminiscent of the adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 “Zebra” since the silhouette featured different shades of white and grey that are only visible close-up. This release also marked the return of the Three Stripe branding on the sides.
During the same year, the 350 lineups continued to grow with the addition of the “Butter,” “Sesame,” “Static Reflective,” and “Static Non-Reflective.” As did the 700 series with the arrival of the fan-favorite adidas Yeezy 700 “Muave.” Lastly, Ye dropped one last Powerphase silhouette in an all-black colorway to keep the Powerphase hype alive headed into 2019.
2019
adidas Yeezy Desert Boot “Rock”
The new year saw the return of the boots which took a four-year hiatus to return to fans. Like most colorways, the adidas Yeezy Desert Boot “Rock” was released in an earth-like colorway making it popular among his fans.
adidas Yeezy Desert Boot “Oil”
At the end of April, fans were once again treated to the second offering from the Desert Boot series. The adidas Yeezy Desert Boot “Oil” arrived in a black base with hints of dark brown across the overlays and eyelets mimicking the color of the fossil fuel.
adidas Yeezy Desert Boot “Salt”
The last trio of Desert Boot releases is the Desert Boot “Salt,” a colorway that kept the sneaker community in a chokehold after the salt iteration from the 500 series release.
adidas Yeezy Slide
To go with the dad shoe and leisure aesthetics of the late 2010s, Ye released three pairs of the adidas Yeezy Slides in neutral and earthy tones. The “Desert Sand,” “Bone,” and “Resin” were the first three Slides that paved the way for the next lineup of Yeezy Slides.
adidas Yeezy Boost 380 “Alien”
Not only did Ye release Slides and Boots, the end of the decade meant something new had to prosper. The adidas Yeezy Boost 380 “Alien” debuted in a chunky futuristic build that introduced a new lace system for upcoming Ye’s.
adidas Yeezy 500 High “Slate”
However, with the arrival of the 380, Ye went back to his beloved 500 models and introduced fans to the adidas Yeezy 500 High “Slate.” Although the release received mixed reviews, fans soon grew to appreciate the high-top iteration.
adidas Yeezy 700 V3 “Azael”
Given the futuristic feel of the Yeezy 380 “Alien,” the third generation of the adidas Yeezy 700 kicked off the with adidas Yeezy 700 V3 “Azeal” colorway, which offered that same futuristic feel that the 380 claimed. This model was indirectly inspired by the look of astronauts in full space gear. The silhouette also featured the same lace system as the 380.
With only three new Yeezy renditions debuting, 2019 was the year when Kanye dropped multiple pairs of the Powerphases, 350s, 500s, and 700s. Some pairs even offered reflective and non-reflective counterparts in the same colorway.
2020
adidas Yeezy Boost 700 MNVN “Triple Black”
In 2020, Ye reimagined the 700 series with the adidas Yeezy Boost 700 MNVN “Triple Black.”
After the initial release, the series grew with three other 700 MNVNs, which added new energy to the “dad shoe” trend.
adidas Yeezy Boost 700 MNVN “Orange”
The next pair in the MNVN series is a vibrant orange offering of the adidas Yeezy MNVN. Like its triple-black counterpart, the silhouette featured 700 branding on the sides and an all-black sole.
adidas Yeezy Boost 700 MNVN “Phosphor”
Next, is the adidas Yeezy Boost 700 MNVN “Phosphor,” which was the second neon-like silhouette from the MNVN series to debut. Much of the colorways used on the first four silhouettes serve as a call back to the original adidas Yeezy Boost 700 “Waverunner.”
adidas Yeezy Boost 700 MNVN “Bone”
To close out the MNVN lineup of 2020, the final iteration arrives in a grey and black color scheme. Even despite complications with the COVID-19 pandemic and the strict lockdown procedures fans still managed to get their hands on this neutral-colored offering.
adidas Yeezy QNTM “OG”
During the weekend of the NBA All-Star Game, Kanye released a lifestyle model of the adidas Yeezy QNTM “OG,” which was followed by a basketball model release in June.
adidas Yeezy QNTM BSKTBL “Barium”
After the success of the QTNM lifestyle model and a soft release of the adidas YEEZY QNTM BSKTBL “Barium” during All-Star weekend, the adidas Yeezy QNTM BSKTBL “Barium” releases publically.
adidas Yeezy QNTM “Teal Blue/Ophani”
With the hype surrounding the QNTM steadily increasing the next pair of the QNTM lifestyle model debuts with teal accents. Due to its unique colorway, fans began to rename the adidas Yeezy QNTM “Ophani” to “Teal Blue.”
adidas Yeezy QNTM “Frozen Blue”(Lifestyle/BSKTBL)
To cap off an amazing year in sneakers, Ye debuts the adidas Yeezy QNTM BSKTBL and a lifestyle model in the “Frozen Blue” colorway. These two pairs were the last Yeezy silhouettes to close out the year.
adidas Yeezy Foam Runner “Ararat”
Despite the effects of a global pandemic, Ye continued to push the creative boundaries with the first release of the adidas Yeezy Foam Runner “Ararat.” A futuristic leisure offering of slides perfect for the newly founded work-from-home positions.
In light of everything that occurred in 2020, the Yeezy lineup managed to push out more shoes than the previous year, more than a dozen 350s launched, followed by a handful of 380s, three pairs of Yeezy Slides, and a Yeezy 500 High.
2021
adidas Yeezy 450 “Cloud White”
With the world begging to reopen, Ye breathes new life into the Yeezy lineup with the debut of the adidas Yeezy 450 “Cloud White.” The 450 mimics a sock-like fit, serving as the foundation of the design.
adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 “Mono Ice”/”Mono Clay”/”Mono Mist”
After Ye introduces fans to his latest signature shoe, the musician offers another design tweak to the beloved 350. The first three pairs of the adidas 350 featured semi-translucent uppers with a skeleton-like redesign underneath.
adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 “Mono Cinder”
The following week Ye releases a fourth and final offering of the adidas Yeezy 350 from the “Mono” series. The “Mono Cinder” was released in an all-black colorway that flew off the shelves and the e-shelves.
adidas Yeezy 450 “Dark Slate”
Two days later, the adidas Yeezy 450 silhouette returns in the “Dark Slate” colorway. Despite the mixed reviews of the 450 lineup, the offering managed to garner enough hype among the sneaker community due to the all-black color scheme.
adidas Yeezy Knit Runner “Sulfur”
With fall around the corner, Ye returns with his latest low-top boot series, the adidas Yeezy Knit Runner in “Sulfur,” which features a full-knit upper without any adidas or Yeezy labeling.
adidas Yeezy NSLTD Boot “Khaki”
This year, Kanye became obsessed with Boots with the release of the adidas Yeezy NSLTD Boot “Khaki.” Thankfully to some, this was the last boot iteration from the Yeezy lineup to release that year.
adidas Yeezy Knit Runner Boot
After the success of the low-top Runner, the adidas Yeezy Knit Runner Boot releases as a high-top counterpart in a similar colorway. This release was the last of the Runner series in 2021.
Aside from a mild boot obsession, Ye delivered more iterations of the 350s, 380s, 500s, 700s, Yeezy Slides, and Foam Runners. That year fans also saw the QNTM line return briefly with new colorways and restocks. Not only was 2021 a great year for the Yeezy brand it also was the year when the world began to reopen and slowly recuperate from the COVID-19 pandemic.
2022
adidas Yeezy 350 V2 CMPCT “Slate Red”
In 2022, Ye updated the 350 lineages with the arrival of the adidas Yeezy 350 V2 CMPCT “Slate Red.” The release was reminiscent of the “Red October” colorway from a decade ago.
adidas Yeezy BSKTBL Knit “Energy Glow”
The new year also marked the return of the adidas Yeezy basketball line in an-all knit upper. Dubbed “Engery Glow” this iteration features a similar color scheme seen on the adidas Yeezy 350 V2 “Semi-Frozen Yellow.”
adidas Yeezy BSKTBL Knit “Slate Azure”
Ye drops another version of the adidas Yeezy BSKTBL Knit in the “Slate Azure” colorway with reflective detailing across the Primknit upper.
2022 was the year Ye slowed dowon on the production of the Yeezy linuep since the majority of the his time was focused on releasing DONDA and DONDA 2. Ye hosted listening parties around the states giving fans a preview of his upcoming albums while also giving early access to unreleased Yeezys.
After a seven-year-long epic journey, it feels as if Ye has only scratched the surface of what his creative mind holds, and we can’t wait to see the new heights Yeezy takes.
Before you jet, hit up our Yeezy release page for more news on everything Yeezy. Stay tuned for more at Nice Kicks.
