There’s a version of Kanye West’s sneaker legacy that most Novelship shoppers actually care about — not the industry commentary, not the drama, just the fact that the shoes are still being made. In August 2025, that continuation took a specific form: the YZY YS-01, a $40 all-EVA slide sold directly through yeezy.com. Two years earlier, the same silhouette carried an adidas logo, retailed at $70, and resold for triple that. Now it’s independent, cheaper, and — if you look at the product photos side-by-side — nearly identical.
This is the article that walks through what the YS-01 actually is, how it compares to the adidas Yeezy Slide that preceded it, and where the two flagship colorways — YS-01 ‘Black’ and YS-01 ‘Cream’ — fit in a post-adidas Yeezy world. The ‘Black’ pair currently sits at #5 on Novelship’s July 2026 men’s top 10, which tells you the demand hasn’t gone anywhere.
The Break From adidas: What Actually Happened
For nine years, Yeezy was one of the most commercially successful sneaker collaborations in history. adidas Yeezy Slides, Foam Runners, 350s, and 700s generated billions in revenue between 2015 and 2022, cementing Ye as one of the few artists to genuinely reshape the sneaker industry.
In October 2022, Ye made a series of public antisemitic remarks across social media, podcasts, and interviews. The response was swift. adidas ended the partnership within weeks. Balenciaga, Gap, JPMorgan Chase, CAA, and virtually every other major brand followed. Nearly every retail relationship Ye held was terminated in the same month.
The financial consequences were significant. adidas was left holding roughly $1.3 billion in unsold Yeezy inventory. They spent much of 2023 and 2024 selling that stock in phased releases without Ye’s involvement, with proceeds partially directed to nonprofit organizations. The last of that adidas Yeezy inventory has now cleared shelves — meaning the shoes on this list are the last commercially available adidas Yeezy Slides, and the YS-01 is what Ye is producing to fill the gap that leaves behind.
The current state: Ye owns and operates yeezy.com directly, without adidas involvement. Every YZY product — the Yeezy Pods, the SL-01 slipper, the YS-01 slide, and the recent YS-02 and AQ-01 previews — is independently designed, manufactured, and distributed. No third-party retailers, no traditional wholesale, no adidas logo.
Whether that arrangement continues, evolves, or ends is a live question. But the shoes are shipping, and the aftermarket demand is real.
What the YZY YS-01 Actually Is
The YS-01 is a slip-on slide built from a single molded piece of injected EVA foam. There is no upper, no lining, no laces, no straps, and no visible branding of any kind. The construction is unibody — the sole and upper flow into each other as one continuous form, which is the same manufacturing approach Ye has used across the whole post-adidas YZY footwear line (SL-01, YS-01, YS-02, AQ-01).
If the design language sounds familiar, that’s because it’s essentially the same silhouette as the adidas Yeezy Slide — the model Ye originally launched with adidas in 2019, which sold in the millions before the partnership ended. The YS-01 is the direct continuation of that silhouette, minus the adidas logo, minus the wholesale pricing, and minus the third-party distribution.
Key Specs:
- Silhouette: Slide (single-band, open toe)
- Material: Injected EVA foam (unibody construction)
- Release Date: August 9, 2025 (Black); Cream added shortly after in the same rollout window
- Distribution: Yeezy.com only
- Branding: None visible
- Sizing: Runs true to size for most wearers
YS-01 ‘Black’ vs. YS-01 ‘Cream’: The Two Flagship Colorways
Both colorways use the same molded EVA construction. The difference is entirely in tone — and each one signals something slightly different about how the wearer is choosing to engage with the silhouette.
YZY YS-01 ‘Black’
The ‘Black’ is the flagship execution and the pair driving current volume on Novelship. This is a deep, true triple-black — noticeably darker than the adidas Yeezy Slide ‘Onyx’ that preceded it, which leaned charcoal-grey. The finish is smooth and slightly matte, letting the sculptural shape of the shoe do the visual work rather than any branding or contrast detailing.
The wear case is nearly universal: gym, house, travel, post-workout, hotel corridor, quick coffee run, or as the anchor to a monochrome fit. It’s the pair that shows up in the most Novelship rotation photos because it disappears into any wardrobe.
Currently: #5 on Novelship’s July 2026 men’s top 10 sellers.
YZY YS-01 ‘Cream’
The ‘Cream’ is the tonal counterpart — a warm off-white finish that Yeezy internally shipped under the name “Silver Green” before rebranding it as “Cream” on shipping notifications. It’s a genuinely new color story compared to the adidas era; the closest analog would be the adidas Yeezy Slide ‘Bone,’ but Cream reads warmer and slightly more textured.
The Cream is the pair that crosses easier into fashion rotation. Where Black disappears, Cream stands out just enough to become part of the outfit — pairing especially well with earth tones, tonal cream fits, and the neutral summer palettes that have dominated 2026 men’s style. If Black is the utility pick, Cream is the aesthetic one.
YS-01 vs. adidas Yeezy Slide: What Changed
For anyone comparing the two, the honest breakdown:
Same:
- Silhouette, molded shape, and foot profile
- Injected EVA foam material and construction
- Fit and true-to-size guidance
- Underlying comfort and feel
Different:
- Distribution: Global wholesale (adidas) vs yeezy.com only (YZY)
- Branding: adidas Trefoil on footbed (adidas) vs completely unbranded (YZY)
- Colorways: Bone, Onyx, Slate, Resin, Enflame Orange (adidas era) vs Black, Cream, Fudge, and rotating YZY-original tones (post-adidas)
- Shipping: Standard retail speeds (adidas) vs originally 6-13 weeks direct-ship, now 3-5 business days (YZY)
For pure comfort and functional wear, the two are essentially interchangeable. The choice really comes down to whether you want the adidas branding (which is now aftermarket-only and priced accordingly), or the direct, cheaper, unbranded YZY version.
Why the YS-01 Is Moving
The YS-01 sits in an unusual commercial position that helps explain why it keeps landing on best-seller lists across the industry:
The design language is deliberately minimalist. No branding, no logos, no story-driven graphics — just a molded foam shape. That reads as either intentionally restrained (in the “quiet luxury” sense) or refreshingly simple, depending on the buyer.
The aftermarket for adidas Yeezy Slides is drying up. With the last of the adidas Yeezy inventory finally cleared, Ye’s independent line is the only way to buy this silhouette new. Aftermarket adidas pairs still exist on marketplaces like Novelship, but they’re increasingly rare.
The shipping situation has improved. Early YZY drops in 2024 and early 2025 developed a reputation for months-long shipping delays. Recent releases (YS-02, AQ-01) ship in 3-5 business days, and the YS-01 restocks now follow the improved logistics window.
Conclusion
The YZY YS-01 in Black and Cream isn’t a hype release. It’s a durable-good product that happens to sit in the middle of one of the most complicated brand stories in modern sneaker culture. If you already own an adidas Yeezy Slide, the YS-01 is essentially the same shoe in different colorways at a lower price. If you don’t, it’s the cleanest, cheapest way to buy the silhouette Ye designed nearly a decade ago.
Both colorways are available authenticated on Novelship, with the ‘Black’ pair specifically holding at #5 on July 2026’s men’s top 10 best-sellers. Whether you’re rotating them for gym, house wear, travel, or as a neutral summer anchor, the practical case for a YS-01 is clear.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Same silhouette, same EVA foam, same fit. What changed: it’s now $40 instead of $70+, comes without any visible branding, and ships direct from yeezy.com instead of through global adidas retail. Colorway names and finishes are also new — ‘Cream’ replaces adidas’ ‘Bone,’ and the ‘Black’ finish is a truer triple-black than the adidas ‘Onyx.’
adidas ended the Yeezy partnership in October 2022 following a series of public antisemitic remarks Ye made across social media, podcast interviews, and other public statements. Nearly every other major brand relationship Ye held was terminated in the same month.
Yes. It’s produced under Ye’s own YZY brand, sold directly through yeezy.com. There’s no third-party licensing involved. It’s not affiliated with adidas — adidas has not been part of Yeezy since 2022.
The two flagship colorways are ‘Black’ (a true triple-black) and ‘Cream’ (a warm off-white, originally shipped under the name “Silver Green”). Additional YZY-exclusive tones include ‘Fudge’ (a warm brown), and the Yeezy website has periodically listed other earth-toned and blue variations.
Comfort and construction are essentially identical. The choice comes down to what you value: The adidas version is now aftermarket-only, carries the adidas Trefoil, and — if you’re a collector — will only become rarer as inventory clears. If you’re buying to wear, YS-01 is the practical pick.
Yes — most wearers report true-to-size fit, consistent with the adidas Yeezy Slide sizing.
Novelship stocks both ‘Black’ and ‘Cream’ from verified sellers, with every pair going through in-house authentication before shipping.