To the uninitiated, the insane demand for YEEZY sneakers may seem inexplicable, and to some degree, it kind of is.
But these Kanye West-designed Adidas shoes are without a doubt one of the biggest status symbols in the sneaker world. In fact, an entire ecosystem has developed around YEEZYs, from Facebook groups and Twitter pages devoted to sharing leaked information, to secondary marketplaces that grow and thrive from the sale of YEEZYs as well as other Adidas releases that benefit from the Kanye association, not to mention a flourishing counterfeit market for those that want the look, but aren’t willing to fork over hundreds of dollars.
Here is a beginner’s Adidas YEEZY guide to Kanye West’s ongoing partnership with Adidas Originals. Below, we cover the history and background of the collaboration, before outlining some tips to help you buy YEEZY sneakers.
Kanye West x Adidas
After West’s public fallout with former collaborator
After Kanye was spotted working with Adidas Originals’ Nic Galway – who also worked directly with other high-profile Adidas collaborators including Raf Simons, Yohji Yamamoto and others – the rumor mill went into overdrive, fueled by pictures of Kanye making trips to China, presumably related to manufacturing.
The resulting co-branded Kanye West x Adidas YEEZY footwear range made its eventual debut in early 2015, with the Adidas Originals YEEZY Boost 750 making its grand entrance in a grey colorway. Since then, the collaboration has expanded to include many more footwear silhouettes like the 350, 350 V2 and the 950 boot, in addition to apparel collections for men and women, accessories, jewellery, and a Calabasas diffusion line. 
Thomas Welch / Highsnobiety.com
Where To Buy YEEZYs
adidas typically makes official YEEZY announcements one week prior, or in some cases the same week of the release date. Most commonly, these announcements are made through the adidas Originals Twitter account.
#YEEZYBOOST 350 V2CREAM WHITE AVAILABLE IN ADULT AND INFANT SIZES APRIL 29 2017 pic.twitter.com/jd1rd2KBb1— adidas Originals (@adidasoriginals) April 20, 2017
Often, insider information is leaked on social media weeks or months ahead of time, giving YEEZY fans a heads up on forthcoming re-stocks and colorways. These sources are not 100% reliable, but certain groups like Yeezy Mafia in particular have developed a fairly reliable track record when it comes to predicting drops.
If purchasing through Adidas direct, registry on the brand’s Confirmed app is recommended. Currently, app launch zones include the following select cities: Berlin, London, Milan, Atlanta, Houston, Las Vegas, Long Island, North New Jersey, Orange County, Philadelphia, San Francisco, New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago.
After signing up for the launch of a specific sneaker, randomly selected users will have the chance to reserve a pair in their size. Sneakers can be picked up from Adidas flagship stores as soon as they are available. Head to the iTunes store to download the app for free. Additionally, adidas-owned locations like No. 74 in Berlin and No. 42 in Paris hold releases of their own.
YEEZY Supply also stocks YEEZY releases online, as well as other Kanye West products like zines and apparel.
Independent stockists and sneaker boutiques, on the other hand, will release YEEZYs through varying methods, including raffles, social media contests, as well as in-store and online drops. We advise checking with your local retailer for more information, but size? in Europe, as well as reputable retailers like RSVP Gallery and Kith in the United States should be expected to hold relatively democratic releases.
A current global stock list for Kanye West x Adidas sneakers can be found at adidas.com/yeezy.
After release day, certain stores and publications will also hold contests, giving sneakerheads yet another chance to cop, or to be sent a free pair. After that, the only place to go is the secondary market, more specifically reselling sites and shops which sell coveted items like YEEZYs for well above retail.
Offering in-store locations as well as websites, certain trusted names like Flight Club and Stadium Goods have built a reputation for offering product that is double-checked for authenticity. StockX has also disrupted the reselling landscape in recent months, offering a proxy service for buyers and sellers that will verify products and vet inauthentic items. 
Thomas Welch / Highsnobiety.com
In the United States, Grailed has become a go-to destination for resellers, but no authenticity check is included in the service, and buyers are left to their own devices, although paying through goods and services on PayPal does act as a safety net. For Europe, Klekt is quickly becoming a respected online marketplace, similar to Grailed where no authenticity check is included in the service. Often these platforms will take a premium from the final sale.
Some sellers also list products on Facebook groups like YEEZY Talk Worldwide, while local sneaker-dedicated Facebook groups are also a smart place to check. Transactions here are completely peer-to-peer, with all negotiations handled between the buyer and seller, so make sure you know your stuff.
YEEZY Boost Prices
Naturally, given the insane demand for any Kanye West-affiliated products, adidas YEEZYs can sell for exponentially more than retail. Thus far, the 350 silhouette has retailed for $200, its V2 counterpart for $220, while the 750 price-tag is $350.
So you know what to expect, see a full breakdown of YEEZY resell prices in 2016: 
YEEZY Boost Releases
Below, see a full timeline of YEEZY Boost Releases, including price and date, starting with the first drop in early 2015.
adidas YEEZY Boost 750
Release Date: February 14, 2015
Price: $350
Shop: Stadium Goods, Flight Club, Grailed, StockX 
source: Adidas
adidas YEEZY Boost 350 Turtle Dove
Release Date: June 27, 2015
Price: $200
Shop: Stadium Goods, Flight Club, Grailed, StockX 
source: Adidas
adidas YEEZY Boost 350 Pirate Black
Release Date: August 22, 2015
Price: $200
Shop: Stadium Goods, Flight Club, Grailed, StockX 
source: Adidas
adidas YEEZY Boost 350 Moonrock
Release Date: November 14, 2015
Price: $200
Shop: Stadium Goods, Flight Club, Grailed, StockX 
source: Adidas
adidas YEEZY Boost 750 Black
Release Date: December 19, 2015
Price: $350
Shop: Stadium Goods, Flight Club, Grailed, StockX 
source: adidas
adidas YEEZY Boost 350 Oxford Tan
Release Date: December 29, 2015
Price: $200
Shop: Stadium Goods, Flight Club, Grailed, StockX 
source: adidas
adidas YEEZY Boost 750 Grey/Gum
Release Date: June 11, 2016
Price: $350
Shop: Stadium Goods, Flight Club, Grailed, StockX 
source: adidas
adidas YEEZY Boost 350 Turtle Dove Infant
Release Date: August 27, 2016
Price: $130
Shop: Stadium Goods, Flight Club, Grailed, StockX 
source: adidas
adidas YEEZY Boost 350 Pirate Black Infant
Release Date: August 27, 2016
Price: $130
Shop: Stadium Goods, Flight Club, Grailed, StockX 
source: adidas
adidas YEEZY Boost 350 V2 Beluga
Release Date: September 24, 2016
Price: $220
Shop: Stadium Goods, Flight Club, Grailed, StockX 
source: adidas
adidas YEEZY Boost 750 Light Brown
Release Date: October 15, 2016
Price: $350
Shop: Stadium Goods, Flight Club, Grailed, StockX 
source: adidas
adidas YEEZY Boost 350 V2 Copper/Green/Red
Release Date: November 23, 2016
Price: $220
Shop: Copper (Stadium Goods, Flight Club, Grailed, StockX) Green (Stadium Goods, Flight Club, Grailed, StockX) Red (Stadium Goods, Flight Club, Grailed, StockX)
source: adidas
adidas YEEZY Boost 350 V2 Core White
Release Date: December 17, 2016
Price: $220
Shop: Stadium Goods, Flight Club, Grailed, StockX 
source: adidas
adidas YEEZY Boost 350 V2 Bred
Release Date: February 11, 2017
Price: $220
Shop: Stadium Goods, Flight Club, Grailed, StockX 
source: adidas
adidas YEEZY Boost 350 V2 Zebra
Release Date: February 25, 2017 & June 24, 2017 (Re-stock)
Price: $220
Shop: Stadium Goods, Flight Club, Grailed, StockX 
source: adidas
adidas Calabasas Powerphase
Release Date: March 28, 2017 & June 4, 2017 (Re-stock)
Price: $120
Shop: Stadium Goods, Flight Club, Grailed, StockX 
source: adidas
adidas YEEZY Boost 350 V2 Cream White
Release Date: April 29, 2017
Price: $220
Shop: Stadium Goods, Flight Club, Grailed, StockX 
source: adidas
adidas Wave Runner 700
Release Date: August 12, 2017
Price: $300
Shop: Stadium Goods, Grailed, StockX, eBay 
source: Yeezy Supply
adidas YEEZY Boost 350 V2 Semi-Frozen Yellow
Release Date: November 18, 2017
Price: $220
Shop: Stadium Goods, Flight Club, Grailed, StockX 
source: adidas
adidas YEEZY Boost 350 V2 Gray/Bold Orange
Release Date: November 25, 2017
Price: $220
Shop: Stadium Goods, Flight Club, Grailed, StockX 
source: adidas
adidas Calabasas Powerphase Grey
Release Date: December 9, 2017
Price: $120
Shop: Full stock list 
source: adidas
adidas YEEZY Desert Rat 500 Super Moon Yellow
Release Date: Dec 6, 2017
Price: $760 (Available only as a pack with sweatshorts and hoodie)
Shop: YEEZY Supply 
source: Yeezy Supply
adidas YEEZY Boost 350 V2 Blue Tint
Release Date: December 16, 2017
Price: $220
Shop: Full retail list 
source: adidas
Next YEEZY Releases
adidas Calabasas Powerphase Black
A “Black” version of the “Calabasas” Powerphase should be arriving in early 2018. We’ve already seen both “Grey” and “Black” colorways as previewed by Kim Kardashian herself, and West was seen sporting the “Grey” pair not long ago.
Kanye West x adidas Desert Rat 500
Previously unseen, the Desert Rat 500 carries over from Kanye’s Wave Runner 700 silhouette, presenting a new take on the chunky motif that has been so popular in 2017.
<div
