Los Angeles, Oct 22 (IANS): Luxury fashion house Balenciaga said that it would no longer work with Kanye West, becoming the first company to sever ties with the rapper and designer after he made a series of controversial and anti-Semitic remarks in the last few weeks.
In a statement, parent company Kering said: "Balenciaga has no longer any relationship nor any plans for future projects related to this artist," Business of Fashion and Women's Wear Daily reported, according to forbes.com.
West and Balenciaga collaborated on his short-lived Yeezy line with retailer Gap - West and Gap ended their partnership last month after West accused the brand of breaching its contract with him.
Balenciaga head Demna Gvasalia and West were reported to have a close relationship - West walked in Balenciaga's Paris fashion show, and Gvasalia attended his Yeezy show - where West debut his "White Lives Matter" shirts - and West's ex-wife Kim Kardashian has been featured in many of the brand's recent campaigns, and has frequently worn its fashions.
Forbes has not yet received a response from West and Kering, but West told Bloomberg via text message Friday, "God runs the world. We perform only for God. We serve only God. God bless."
As West has made repeated anti-Semitic and eyebrow-raising remarks since the start of October in interviews and on social media, many of the companies affiliated with him have remained silent. After West debuted the "White Lives Matter" shirts at his show, Adidas said that it was putting its nine-year-long relationship with him under review.
This week, the Anti-Defamation League called on Adidas to sever its ties to West, and Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel called on companies who profit off of West to cut ties with him.
West - who has made comments about the "Jewish media" said he was going to go "deaf con 3 on Jewish people" apologised for some of his remarks this week. On Piers Morgan Uncensored, West said he didn't regret his remarks, but "I'm sorry for the families of the people that had nothing to do with the trauma that I have been through."
Earlier this week, the family of George Floyd said that it intended to sue West after he made baseless remarks about Floyd's death. After being restricted on Twitter and Instagram, conservative social media site Parler said West would be purchasing it.