We recently reported everything you needed to know in regards to the Yeezy GAP collaboration but we have to ask: What does this mean for Telfar X Gap?

From excitement to uncertainty, indefinitely postponed, and now cancelation — Telfar Clemens has officially announced that Teflar X Gap is no longer. 

The anticipation of his project, which has been growing over the past year, was reasonably derailed due to COVID-19 after Gap found itself in deep financial trouble brought on by the pandemic. After being forced to close stores, cancel orders, furlough employees, deal with unhappy customers, and while being sued for millions in nonpayment rent, it seemed as though Gap lost sight of their promised collaboration. 

With the company in disarray, Mr. Clemens had already delivered 30 designs when he was told that the production had been postponed indefinitely. In March, Gap offered to pay Clemens for his finished work, settling on 25% of the design fee as a postponement fee, that was paid after many inquiries from the designer. 

With uncertainty, the collaboration entered April hopeful as Teflar issued a statement to Business of Fashion  “We [Telfar and Gap] have to stick together and figure out what we all want to do as a team, moving forward.” Telfar continued, “And if the environment allows us to continue, how does that work?”

Fast-forward to June 26th — with Telfar X Gap still up in the air — Gap just inked the 10-year deal with Kanye West’s brand, YEEZY. Presumably a frustrating situation, but with gracefulness, Clemens told The New York Times that he is happy for West and Gap’s Design Director, Mowwalola Ogunlesi. Yet Teflar can’t deny, he feels like his former Gap project “played fame and skin color against each other.”

The two collaborations were reportedly handled by two separate teams, but it is hard to deny the disorganization and confusion. Nonetheless, since Gap has agreed to fully pay back Clemens for the canceled collaboration, he is “really glad to be free of it.” More importantly, he hopes social media doesn’t pit him against Kanye West.

He is no “victim” in this unfortunate situation. Rather, Clemen’s creative director, Babak Radboy explained how bigger brands, like Gap, tokenize brands, such as Telfar in an attempt to make a statement of racial solidarity. Leaving Gap to clearly reflect on things, Teflar is doing just fine — with their “it” bag selling out in just hours.