Longtime Adidas exec Jon Wexler reportedly has a new position with the brand: General Manager of Yeezy.
While some readers may know Wexler solely from his Instagram-famous #wexflex sneaker posts or have heard some surface level talk about his relationship with Kanye West, the near-20-year sneaker vet's résumé goes much deeper than that.
Get familiar with the new head of Yeezy below.
He Originally Wanted to Be a DJ
He Got His First Streetwear Job in 1993
He Left Adidas in 2004 to Work for Converse
He Almost Worked for Nike
He Returned to Adidas in 2006 and Has Been Working His Way Up Ever Since
He Saw Potential in Big Sean Early On
Kanye West Says Wexler Saved His Life
He Helped Pusha T's Fishscale Sneakers Get Approved
He's Not Afraid to Fail
In an age of fake deep Instagram quotes and quasi-motivational pages, the internet isn't exactly full of reliable life lessons. Yet for Wexler, he keeps things simple, repeatedly coming back to the mantra of not being afraid to fail. It's a concept he championed in his TEDx Talk (below) and one you'll hear him constantly bring up in interviews and on social media. "If you follow your passions with unrelenting determination and permit yourself to fail the tomorrow of your dreams awaits," Wexler said. "Evel Knievel once said, 'A man can fail many, many times, but you're only a failure if you don't get up.' Trust in yourself, give yourself permission to fail, and start making some mistakes."