Looking into Beyoncé Ivy Park x Adidas Partnership from start to end conjures realizations about the fashion business. The extreme highs and lows behind the scenes never make it to tabloids. When Beyoncé merged a deal with Adidas years ago, it sprung hope for a successful run, like Yeezy with Kanye West before current events. However, even a superstar who sells out stadiums and arenas can’t fully crack the mass-produced fashion business.
In this feature, we’ll probe into the multimillion-dollar Beyoncé Ivy Park Adidas deal from its beginning to its unfortunate end. We’ll further note the milestones Beyoncé achieved every single year since 2019. Also, we’ll examine profit margins, losses, and how much she earned versus the yield for Adidas.
The Real Ivy Park x Adidas Beginning
Beyoncé officially launched Ivy Park in 2016. The brand floated as schematic activewear for her fans, the BeyHive. With the successful turnout, in April 2016, she partnered up with TopShop. Later, the deal faltered due to rumors surrounding the Topshop founder Sir Philip Green. The allegations threatened the brand’s success and Beyoncé’s star power image. She cut ties with them and acquired complete control of Ivy Park in November 2018.
Soon, tabloids broke the news of Beyoncé’s sole ownership of Ivy Park. Many fans and fashion lovers wondered where the journey would take the songstress. However, the real worry was who would be the brand’s newest partner. Then a year later, in 2019, Adidas on Instagram teased with the caption, “A new beginning.” On April 4, a press release described the deal between Ivy Park and Adidas. The release mentioned a new vision of delivering a collection highlighting a “performance to lifestyle.” Adidas accentuates Beyoncé as “a creative partner for the brand. ”
The partnership respects Beyoncé’s ownership of her company. Furthermore, the exciting deal introduced another aspect, signature footwear. Considering other artists who have also fostered lucrative streetwear deals, it was a good move. The likes of Tyler The Creator with Converse, Jay-Z with Reebok, and Missy Elliott with Adidas.
The First Collab Drop
Before the announcement in early 2016, Adidas’ official release was set for January 2020. Beyoncé teased a few products from the collection on her social media pages. The first drop had a monochromatic orange scheme on the sneakers, puffed-up jackets, and activewear sets. The orange and purple complimentary colors underlined the fashion era of the early 2020s.
Her rollout was a memorable pop culture moment. And as the queen of surprises, she set the bar high with the first drop. A week or so before the release, Beyoncé sent orange boxes to A-list celebrities, from models, actresses, actors, rappers, and other important players. The notable ones included Ellen DeGeneres, Angela Bassett, Kendall Jenner, Ciara, Missy Elliott, Reese Witherspoon, and Hailey Bieber.
On the day of the sale, after five minutes, the website crashed. It was announced that every product sold out on the website. Places such as Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, Foot Locker, and Finish Line locations also sold-out of items in the U.S. However, as usual, the next day, everything sold out worldwide.
The Second Collab Drop
Months after the first collaboration, the silence between Adidas and Beyoncé was tumultuous. However, another press release statement revealed information on the next drops. The full schedule for the year 2020 included four capsule drops. All in intervals throughout the Fall season of 2020. Also, the collaborators mentioned the drop would consist of a treasured collection and newer designs.
The “Drip 2” collection rollout started with a cryptic message from Beyoncé. She simply put out “This Is My Park” releasing October 2020. With optics on the website, the line drew inspiration from the ’80s, drawing from the aerobics tape aesthetic from that era. This time, however, the design team opted for a five-color scheme palette—a green tint, dark green, yellow “canary” tint, mesa, and natural coral. Personally, the second drop was her best drop ever.
Bey sent personal boxes of her line to promote the drop to her celebrity friends. The artists and influencers who were the best pick included Kehlani, Kerry Washington, and Mo’Nique. The collection sold out in Adidas stores and ASOS retailers. During this drop, fans publicly expressed frustration with the process of buying and acquiring the products. Some were upset with the delays and lack of availability.
The Third Collaboration Drop
The “Halls of Ivy” drop in 2021 was more collaborative than all collections. The vision for this particular drop celebrated all people of races, backgrounds, colors, or creeds. You could tell from the designs and color choices that it would cater to adults and kids. The fifth capsule collection included four distinct footwear chromatism, 89 apparel trends, and approximately 11 accessory styles.
Queen B went the extra mile to add alterations to the drop. Ivy Park had IVY PARK x Adidas Savage, IVY PARK x Adidas Super Sleek “Chunky,” IVY PARK x Adidas Super Sleek Boot, and IVY PARK x Adidas UltraBOOST. Ivy Park mastered their objective to produce a casual wear and agility collection. The masterstroke was Beyoncé enlisting some of the Adidas alumnae.
The rollout of this Ivy Park collection was more detailed and thought out. The boxes from Adidas were encrusted with a chest of ice. During February 2021, the ice theme carried on. Especially noting the ice sculptures that were displayed all around New York City. The promotion spread out in Bryant Park and Domino Park.
The Beyoncé x Adidas Controversy in 2023
Following the loss of Kanye West’s Yeezy deal, Adidas cut ties with another high-profile musician. The consensus was that the $200 million loss became hard to clean up. In 2022, sales reports stated that Ivy Park x Adidas sales declined more than 50%. The reported $40 million earnings in 2022 was below the expected projection of $250 million.
From a critic’s point of view, the strategy was way off base. The overconfidence in Beyoncé doesn’t usually translate into sales. However, the buying power from her fans is what matters. Now, Beyoncé has partnered with Balmain ahead of the Renaissance World Tour. The “Renaissance Couture” comprises of 16 off-the-ramp styles co-designed by Beyoncé.