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History of the adidas Yeezy Desert Boot
The adidas Yeezy Desert Boot is one of the most intriguing silhouettes released from Kanye West and The Three Stripes. It's not a sneaker, and at first glance, you might not even realize it's an adidas product — but there's a reason why this shoe is so unique.
The Yeezy Desert Boot silhouette was initially produced by and released through Kanye's own Yeezy Brand as part of the Season 6 and Season 7 collections.
In April 2019, adidas took over the production of the Yeezy Desert Boot. With minor alterations to the shape, use of materials, and the addition of adidas branding to the insole and outsole, the new version shaved $80 off its original $280 price tag.
In the 2016 hit song Facts, Kanye rapped, "Tell adidas that we need a million in production, I done told y’all all I needed was the infrastructure."
The adidas Yeezy Desert Boot is just one example of what Kanye meant in these lyrics and his other assertions for needing a large corporation's backing to bring his visions to life. The silhouette combined Kanye's keen sense of design and fashion with the production and infrastructure that comes with a footwear giant like adidas.
Together, they were able to mass-produce a boot that rivaled high-end designer quality and aesthetics at a more accessible price point.
Yeezy Season vs. adidas Yeezy Desert Boots: Key Differentiators
Both versions of the Yeezy Desert Boots are nearly identical, but a side-by-side comparison reveals some differences. The Yeezy Brand version is noticeably heavier and uses more premium suede. The adidas version is significantly lighter, making it more comfortable to wear for more extended periods. The adidas version also has a slightly wider toe box, allowing it to fit closer to its true size. While the Yeezy Brand version requires going up a full size for a true fit, the adidas version only requires a half size up.
The updated adidas version takes advantage of its Ortholite insoles, while Yeezy Brand uses a standard foam insole. In addition to the reflective 3M strip on the tongue, the adidas Yeezy Desert Boot gets reflective 3M piping along the shoe's perimeter.
Finally, the shoe packaging is updated to adidas Yeezy's signature brown box with black numbering and lettering.
Overall, the lower cost, lighter weight, and comfortable Ortholite insoles found on the adidas version outweigh the slightly more premium materials on the Yeezy Season releases.
The Yeezy Desert Boot's Familiar Design
Although the Yeezy Desert Boot is a high-top boot, it draws much of its design elements from the low-top adidas Yeezy 500, initially released in 2017. The Desert Boot features a combination of premium suede and mesh on the upper. Everything from the cut-and-sewn layers to the overall shape can be attributed to the 500 model. However, the tooling was new. The boots feature a large, rugged outsole with sharp tooth-like treads for traversing snow or rocky terrains.
After the adidas Yeezy Desert Boot's initial releases, adidas created a model that fell in between the low-top Yeezy 500 and the super-rugged Desert Boot — the adidas Yeezy 500 High. The sneaker maintains the same mixed-material high-top aesthetic but sits atop an adiPRENE+ midsole, giving it the look of a basketball shoe.
Yeezy Season 6 and 7 Desert Boot Colorways
The Yeezy Desert Boot got released in a handful of colorways under Yeezy Brand:
- Taupe (YZ7MF7003-214)
- Cinder (YZ7MF7003-212)
- House Blue (YZ7MF7003-202)
- Graphite (YZ6MF6003-213)
- Oil (YZ7MF7003-223)
- House Wakame (YZ7MF7003-225)
Colorways of the adidas Yeezy Desert Boot
When adidas took over the silhouette, they simplified the release to three colorways:
adidas Yeezy Desert Boot - Oil (EG6463)
adidas Yeezy Desert Boot - Rock (EG6462)
adidas Yeezy Desert Boot - Salt (FV5677)
The Oil colorway is identical in name and color to the Yeezy Season 7 release; the Rock colorway is very similar to the Yeezy Season 6 and 7 Taupe releases. The Salt colorway is brand new. All three pairs got released in full family sizing, from men's down to infants' sizes.
Collectibility of Yeezy Desert Boots
While hype and exclusivity are partly responsible for the Yeezy line's popularity, it's been Kanye's mission to make his products more accessible — and the Yeezy Desert Boot is one shoe that has remained relatively affordable on the resale market. If you're looking for highly collectible and valuable Yeezys, the Desert Boot isn't the first model you should seek out. Unworn pairs typically sell for just over their original $200 retail price, but usually no more than the $280 price tag for Yeezy Season 6 and 7 pairs. Worn versions can often be found under retail.
If you're looking for shoes that stand out from brands typically associated with boots, Yeezy Desert Boots are a solid choice. They're undeniably stylish, more comfortable than many other boots and considerably affordable.
