To the uninitiated, the insane demand for YEEZY sneakers may seem inexplicable, and to some degree, it kind of is.

But these Kanye West-designed Adidas shoes are without a doubt one of the biggest status symbols in the sneaker world. In fact, an entire ecosystem has developed around YEEZYs, from Facebook groups and Twitter pages devoted to sharing leaked information, to secondary marketplaces that grow and thrive from the sale of YEEZYs as well as other Adidas releases that benefit from the Kanye association, not to mention a flourishing counterfeit market for those that want the look, but aren’t willing to fork over hundreds of dollars.

Here is a beginner’s Adidas YEEZY guide to Kanye West’s ongoing partnership with Adidas Originals. Below, we cover the history and background of the collaboration, before outlining some tips to help you buy YEEZY sneakers.

Kanye West x Adidas

After West’s public fallout with former collaborator Nike, the rapper-turned-designer inked a subsequent deal with German sportswear brand Adidas in the beginning of 2013.

After Kanye was spotted working with Adidas Originals’ Nic Galway – who also worked directly with other high-profile Adidas collaborators including Raf Simons, Yohji Yamamoto and others – the rumor mill went into overdrive, fueled by pictures of Kanye making trips to China, presumably related to manufacturing.

The resulting co-branded Kanye West x Adidas YEEZY footwear range made its eventual debut in early 2015, with the Adidas Originals YEEZY Boost 750 making its grand entrance in a grey colorway. Since then, the collaboration has expanded to include many more footwear silhouettes like the 350, 350 V2 and the 950 boot, in addition to apparel collections for men and women, accessories, jewellery, and a Calabasas diffusion line. Thomas Welch / Highsnobiety.com