Since Paris Fashion Week, Kanye West has been like a volcano that erupts and continues to rage in the face of criticism. The designer, who has long insisted on the Ye name, has now responded to criticism of a controversial Yeezy t-shirt design with the slogan “White Lives Matter”. He flooded Instagram with a series of posts and did not shy away from personal attacks.
The slogan, often associated with American fascist groups, was featured on a long-sleeved T-shirt presented by Bob Marley’s granddaughter at a last-minute Yeezy show Monday night in Paris. Right-wing politician Candace Owens, who was also present, also wore the same T-shirt.
Many guests felt it was inappropriate and inappropriate to show this t-shirt on a Paris catwalk. It is not yet known what Kanye’s intentions were.
The Black Lives Matter movement and the fashion world are reacting to the Yeezy t-shirt
A statement from the Black Lives Matter movement said: “While some may see Kanye and Candace’s stunt as a distraction, we recognize that it is harming thousands of families fighting for justice for their loved ones that are sanctioned by the state were killed by violence. It can create harmful confusion and be used to legitimize violent attacks on Black people.”
Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, Vogue’s global fashion editor at Large and a longtime contributor to the magazine, met Ye before the show and called the designer’s behavior “incredibly irresponsible and dangerous” in a now-deleted Instagram post. In a tit-for-tat, Ye poked fun at the successful stylist’s looks and questioned her reputation.
The incident caught the attention of Condé Nast. On the official Instagram account of American Vogue, the publisher affirmed that he was behind Karefa-Johnson. It was also emphasized that Ye had “attacked and harassed” her.
In addition to her employer, other media and people who work with the stylist also took a stand and positioned themselves behind Karefa-Johnson.
Ye throws accusations around
In another tirade, Ye suggested that Virgil Abloh’s death could be due to the heavy pressure put on the designer by French luxury goods group Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton and its boss Bernard Arnault. Sidney Toledano, the chairman of LVMH, was also heavily criticized. Speaking to Givenchy creative director Matthew Williams ahead of his runway show, Toledano “didn’t like it,” Ye said on Instagram.
The ongoing public allegations have led Ye to end his contracts with Gap Inc. and also to prematurely terminate his partnership with Adidas.
Opinions about his behavior have so far differed widely, but since Paris Fashion Week at the latest, many observers have classified the designer’s actions as complacent, narcissistic and unnecessarily aggressive.
Ye shows no remorse
YZYSZN9, Yeezy’s ninth collection, also came under fire. The New York Times newspaper called the show a “grenade that backfired” and, according to Business of Fashion, “West’s provocations give him a platform he doesn’t deserve”.
Ye has not commented publicly on the slogan or its intent, nor has he expressed remorse for his harsh, personal criticism of Gabriella Karefa-Johnson. On Tuesday evening, however, he published the following statement about his public dispute with the stylist on Instagram: “We apologized to each other for hurting each other’s feelings. We’ve both experienced the struggle for acceptance in a world that isn’t ours.”
This translated and edited post previously appeared on FashionUnited.uk.