Kanye West "Cruel Summer" Shoe A Collaboration With Giuseppe Zanotti

The relationship between Giuseppe Zanotti and rapper Kanye West was detailed in a recent piece the Italian shoe designer penned for Style.com.

Zanotti revealed that he’s known Kanye “for years,” since 2009 to be exact, and shared that the two boast a mutually beneficial relationship.

“Working together was a natural progression,” Zanotti said in his Style.com story. “He taught me something, I taught him something. I showed him my archives, and he sang something for me and my team. It was good synergy, exchange of sensation, and love.”

Zanotti later described working with ‘Ye on a shoe inspired by the G.O.O.D. Music emcee’s Cruel Summer album.

“In September 2012, we collaborated on Cruel Summer, a shoe inspired by Kanye’s album of the same name,” he said. “I took a gold pair of the shoes Kanye liked and customized them in all-white ceramic to give the same glam-Renaissance vibe as the album cover has. The customized shoe and album were released simultaneously.”

The Cruel Summer shoes were reportedly priced at $5,800 a pair.

The duo also worked together on Kanye’s Paris Fashion Week debut in 2012. The result of their collaboration was a beaded, women’s heel, which was worn by the likes of Kim Kardashian.

Kanye is currently at work with adidas on a line that will be released next year. Kanye’s new YEEZi shoes will also be released in 2015.