Kanye West last year inked a 10-year partnership deal with Gap. AP
Kanye West last year inked a 10-year partnership deal with Gap. AP
Kanye West last year inked a 10-year partnership deal with Gap. AP
Kanye West last year inked a 10-year partnership deal with Gap. AP

Kanye West is reportedly suing Walmart over imitation Yeezy Foam Runners


Sophie Prideaux
  • English
  • Arabic

Kanye West is suing US supermarket chain Walmart for "flagrantly" profiting off his footwear brand Yeezy, according to reports.

In a court filing seen by TMZ and The Blast, the rapper is accusing Walmart of copying his Yeezy Foam Runner trainer, trading off his brand's designs and "popularity".

The Foam Runner design first launched in 2020, retailing for $75 a pair, and becoming an instant sell-out.

West's lawyers allege the shoe on sale on Walmart's website is an "unauthorised exact copy", saying the Yeezy brand was worth "billions", and that West "sets trends for everything he touches".

"Simply put, Kanye West is a household name, and the Yeezy brand, which has become synonymous with West, has become one of the most influential and successful brands in fashion", the document reportedly said.

It was also alleged that West previously contacted Walmart with a warning to stop selling the trainers, but it apparently failed to do so.

“Walmart’s conduct is harming and will continue to harm West and Yeezy, leaving them no choice but [to sue] to stop Walmart’s unfair competition and profiting from the popularity of the success of West and Yeezy”, the court filings reportedly said.

"Not only are West and Yeezy losing market share for their authentic Yeezy Foam Runner, but also their reputation and the goodwill of the Yeezy brand is being harmed by the association with the Imitation Shoe given its subpar quality, as evidenced by the consumer comments shown from the Walmart website," West's lawyers said.

In response to TMZ, Walmart said the trainer was sold by a third party company on its website.

"The product referenced in the complaint is not sold by Walmart, but rather by third party Marketplace sellers. We take allegations like this seriously and are reviewing the claim. We will respond in court as appropriate after we have been served with the complaint," the representative said.

West has made a fortune out of his Yeezy brand, with sales generating nearly $1.7 billion in revenue in 2020, according to Bloomberg.

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Based: UAE

Sector: Travel & tourism

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Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

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COMPANY PROFILE

Founders: Sebastian Stefan, Sebastian Morar and Claudia Pacurar

Based: Dubai, UAE

Founded: 2014

Number of employees: 36

Sector: Logistics

Raised: $2.5 million

Investors: DP World, Prime Venture Partners and family offices in Saudi Arabia and the UAE

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- sadness

- persistent physical ailments such as headaches, frequent infections and fatigue

- substance abuse, such as smoking or drinking more

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Acknowledge how you are feeling by listening to your warning signs. Set boundaries and learn to say ‘no’

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The poll of 2,006 people aged 16-24 assessed their exposure to drug dealers online in a nationally representative survey.

Of those admitting to seeing drugs for sale online, 56 per cent saw them advertised on Snapchat, 55 per cent on Instagram and 47 per cent on Facebook.

Cannabis was the drug most pushed by online dealers, with 63 per cent of survey respondents claiming to have seen adverts on social media for the drug, followed by cocaine (26 per cent) and MDMA/ecstasy, with 24 per cent of people.

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2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)

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2009 Sara Mansour (Brazil)

2010 Daniella Rahme (Australia)

2011 Maria Farah (Canada)

2012 Cynthia Moukarzel (Kuwait)

2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)              

2014 Lia Saad  (UAE)

2015 Cynthia Farah (Australia)

2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)

2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)

2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)

Pharaoh's curse

British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
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