Yesterday it was announced that superstar Beyoncé (37) was going to collaborate with fashion brand Adidas. ESPN journalist Nick DePaula now claims that Beyoncé first negotiated with Reebok, but the deal was canceled because the team was not diverse enough.
DePaula said during the show “The Jump”: “During the last two years, Beyoncé has had conversations with Under Armor, with Reebok, and at some point Jordan was also interested in working with Nike at Nike.” The journalist says that Reebok in particular was very keen on a possible collaboration, and even put together a team to present to the singer what her future fashion line would look like for them. But that meeting did not go down well with Beyoncé.
“She had a meeting at Reebok and they had prepared an entire presentation about possible products and how they might look,” says DePaula. “But she took a step back and said,” Is this the team that will work on my product? ” Someone said, “Yes,” and then she said, “No one in this room reflects my background, my skin color, where I come from and what I want to do.” So she stepped back and left. They did not come to an agreement. “
According to DePaula, Beyoncé’s decision was not about business, but about shaking up companies. “For her it really goes further than business. It’s not just about putting her name on a shoe and then calling it the new “Adidas Beyoncé 1” or whatever. It is about leaving a mark on the company and making an impact in terms of diversity.
ESPN Writer @NickDePaula reveals Beyoncé walked out of a meeting w/ @Reebok after she highlighted the pitch team's lack of diversity & non-existent representation of her background and skin color. 👑
— BEYONCÉ LEGION (@BeyLegion) April 5, 2019
He also talks about Bey getting offers from Jordan (@Jumpman23) & @UnderArmour. pic.twitter.com/J2P3cvGw6I
Reebok, however, denies DePaula’s story. “The story that Beyoncé walked out of a meeting with Reebok because of a lack of diversity is categorically wrong. Our discussions with Beyoncé and her team lasted several months after our first meeting. We are disappointed that false information is presented as a fact. “
Beyoncé does not care about this and says in a press release that she is happy with the collaboration with Adidas. “Adidas has pushed creative boundaries with great success. We share a philosophy that puts creativity, growth and social responsibility first in business. I look forward to re-launching and expanding Ivy Park on a global scale with a proven, dynamic leader. ”