Kanye West Reportedly Fires Sneaker Design Icon Steven Smith

Kanye West has reportedly parted ways with the sneaker design icon he’s long been associated with.

Steven Smith, who has designed countless classics throughout his career and is widely known as the “Godfather of Dad Shoes,” was reportedly fired by West, according to a Fast Company report.

Prior to teaming up with West, Smith has worked for the biggest brands in sneakers for nearly 40 years, including New Balance, Reebok, Nike, Adidas and more. Some of his most profound creations include New Balance classics that are modern favorites (550, 1500 and 574, for example), as well as the ahead-of-its-time Reebok Instapump Fury from 1994 and the Nike Air Zoom Spiridon Caged from 2003, among others.

Smith was the architect behind some of the most coveted Yeezy shoes, including the ever-popular Adidas Yeezy Boost 700.

He worked alongside West for nearly eight years, and most recently was named head of industrial design at Donda, West’s creative agency, in July 2022.

According to the Fast Company report, Smith said he and West had reached a point where working together was no longer possible. “He’s lost his mind,” Smith told Mark Wilson of Fast Company. “The whole of Yeezy is circling the drain and this is just part of it. He has surrounded himself with toxic, C-grade losers.”

Smith also told Wilson, “I’m in a very happy place with it all. I will certainly be a priceless asset to whoever I work with next. It’s all his loss and the result of his foolishness.”

FN has reached out to Smith for comment.

Many of West’s high-profile partnerships have fallen apart in recent years. For instance, Adidas ended its partnership with West and Yeezy in October 2022, the same month Balenciaga ended its relationship with the rapper-turned-designer. A month earlier, Gap announced it was ending its relationship with West.

About the Author

Peter Verry is the Senior News and Features Editor for Athletic and Outdoor at Footwear News. He oversees coverage of the two fast-paced and ultracompetitive markets, which includes conducting in-depth interviews with industry leaders and writing stories on sneakers and outdoor shoes. He is a lifelong sneaker addict (and shares his newest purchases via @peterverry on Instagram) and spends most of his free time on a trail. He holds an M.A. in journalism from Hofstra University and can be reached at peter.verry@footwearnews.com.