kanye west

Photo: Getty
It’s pretty much a given that her relationship with Kanye West helped Kim Kardashian blossom into the fashion-forward figure we know her as today. Pre-Ye, Kim almost exclusively wore bandage dresses and nude pumps. But when they got together in 2012, he helped her gut her closet and bought her a new, more sophisticated wardrobe. The next year, she was his plus-one at the Met Gala. And thus, a style star was born.
A decade later, Kardashian doesn’t need her soon-to-be-ex husband to get into the Met, or to help her figure out her style. A recent episode of The Kardashians on Hulu finds all five sisters and their mom Kris Jenner headed to the 2022 Met Ball, and the Skims founder reflects on how her clothes and her personal journey have both evolved.
Photo: Getty
“At my first Met experience, Kanye was there to teach me so much about fashion, and I’m so grateful to him,” she said. “But now, it’s so fun and empowering to just try to do it on my own. And I just wanna make sure that everything is perfect.”
Perfect is the watchword! While getting ready, Kardashian treats her sisters to a tour of some other Marilyn Monroe items, plus the dress she’s about to wear, set up in her hotel suite, but warns them to touch nothing, bring no food or drink inside, and if they have to sneeze, step away. Yep, Kim Kardashian is truly running the show now, she needs no guide.
Photo: Getty
The fact that every sister got an invite this year points to just how far the family has come, celebrities in their own right as opposed to famous for the men they date. Not that the reality star is ready to walk the carpet solo. She attended the event with then-boyfriend Pete Davidson.
Originally published in Glamour.com

Skechers has made its way into pop culture, via an Oct. 29 “Saturday Night Live” spoof on Kanye West‘s unauthorized visit to Skechers’ headquarters.

“SNL” cast members opened with a parody commercial that began with a weighty tone. The bit featured the actors as Skechers employees, rejecting the opportunity to work with West in any capacity: “Here at Skechers, we pride ourselves on two things, making stylish, comfortable shoes at an affordable price, and having zero tolerance for antisemitism,” said Cecily Strong, playing a Skechers employee.

The segment then delves into a more comedic element as employees relish in how “insanely satisfying” it was to turn away West. “Two years ago, could you have imagined the headline: ‘Skechers too good for Kanye.’” Another staff member adds, “All we want is for people to know where Skechers stands, and for a little recognition how cool this makes us look.”

Related Galleries

[embedded content]

On Oct. 26, the Skechers brand issued an official statement, saying, West “arrived unannounced and without invitation at one of Skechers’ corporate offices in Los Angeles, California. The statement added, “Considering Ye was engaged in unauthorized filming, two Skechers executives escorted him and his party from the building after a brief conversation. Skechers is not considering and has no intention of working with West. We condemn his recent divisive remarks and do not tolerate antisemitism or any other form of hate speech. The company would like to again stress that West showed up unannounced and uninvited to Skechers corporate offices.”

On Oct. 25, Adidas officially terminated their partnership with West after controversy regarding his series of antisemitic rants in interviews and on social media.

Foot Locker Inc. said it would remove all Yeezy merchandise from stores. And Gap, whose contract with Yeezy was terminated in September, proceeded to redirect YeezyGap.com to the Gap homepage and remove products from its stores.

From Kanye West opening the show to models carrying fake babies across the mud-drenched runway, fashion critic Anders Christian Madsen brings you five things to know about spring/summer 2023’s Balenciaga spectacle.
The show was set in a mud grave

On the seat of every chair in the gigantic Parc des Exposition de Villepinte where the epic Balenciaga show took place was a note from Demna: “This show is a metaphor for digging for truth and being down to earth.” Before you got to your seat, you had to tip-toe your way around the blackened-out space not to fall into the enormous mud grave that had been dug in the centre of the show space, earthy aroma in tow. Preceded by a longer text mapping out Demna’s aversion for the way fashion labels people, his metaphor for The Mud Show was admirable. But after last season’s presentation – staged just a week after Putin invaded Ukraine – which saw models fighting their way through a snowstorm with bin bags in their hands as a reflection of Demna’s own flight from Russian separatists in Abkhazia in the early 1990s, it was hard not to carry on the association. Just two weeks ago, the Ukrainian military discovered a mass grave in Izium recently dug by the Russian troops, which looked a lot like it. It made for an unnerving start to a Balenciaga show that once again burst the escapist bubble of fashion week. And thank god for that.
Kanye West opened the show

“Naturally I’m an optimist, but I can’t be optimistic right now. This show expressed that very much: The music, the set… It really spoke about the moment we live in,” Demna said, adding that he’s perhaps more “hopeful”. Walking to a loud techno soundtrack that sounded like a post-apocalyptic funeral march (after the Queen’s death, we’re all familiar with a funeral march), Kanye West opened the show trudging through the mud in a square, oversized multi-pocket combat jacket and leather biker trousers. (His ex-wife Kim Kardashian and their children looked on runway-side with Khloe Kardashian and Kylie Jenner.) The look only underlined the grave associations, but also reflected the new set of realities we’re witnessing eight months into the war Demna first referenced days after its inception: Russian reserves forced to go to battle, military losses in the thousands and civilians living in war zones. This wasn’t something Demna put into words, but like last season, the show felt like a form of release to him. If war references seem weird in a fashion context, it’s different when it’s Demna. He has lived the reality currently unfolding in the Eastern Ukraine regions.
It rebelled against society’s ideas of right and wrong

As the show progressed, the war associations faded along with the combat elements. It evolved into a study of the identities and uniforms around which Demna’s work has always centred. An anthropologist designer, he is interested in the normative dress codes that signify communities and the characters they breed. One of his closest friends, the model Yuri walked the show in a denim suit with the jacket off revealing the scars of chest surgery. Another model had the mohawk of a classic punk. And throughout, Demna enhanced his cast’s faces with prosthetics that made them look entirely unique. The point was this: “I hate boxes and labels. That’s how I’ve felt all my life, and I feel like I’ve been punched in the face for being who I am. That’s what society and the internet does. They make up boxes. You have to continue walking and standing up for who you are and defending that,” he said. It inspired a collection that celebrated manmade ideas of the incorrect and disproportionate: Belts and the elastic bands of logo underwear were over-dimensional to the trousers they were styled on, some clothes looked like rags and most of the collection was covered in mud – either from the runway, or through the effect of surface decoration.
Clothes were covered in mud as a form of adornment

Backstage, Demna was wearing a sweatshirt with very real-looking mud-splatter adornment. “What is luxury? I’ve been dealing with that since I started. Is it like a cashmere turtleneck, or can it be anything? In my opinion, it can. That’s what I’ve been trying to say for almost ten years now. Putting that in mud was a reference to that. It’s blasphemous to put a 1,000-euro shoe in mud, but that makes it real. Otherwise it’s just a dream we aspire towards,” he argued. “Making something dirty is much more difficult [than making it neat]. We have a whole department now that ages and makes things dirty. It’s the opposite of what luxury is supposed to be, but I don’t happen to agree with that.” In that sense, the collection was anti-establishment on a level that questioned and confronted convictions we grow up with, passed down by generations and engrained from birth as a matter of course. “It’s about people making their judgments when they see things. It was about addressing your own state of mind and how you feel,” Demna said. “I’m a bit worried that I’m abusing my job as therapy, but it is actually a very good way of finding yourself through what you do,” he laughed.
It featured men with baby carriers and fake babies

“The whole show was how I would like to see people dress,” Demna said. What he meant wasn’t that he wanted to apply his own aesthetic to the world he sees on the street, but that everyone – from the kid in the tracksuit to the lady in the ballgown – should liberate themselves from the rules society drags down over our heads, psychologically coercing us to dress ‘appropriately’. With trademark wit, he illustrated it in men with baby carriers holding what looked like real babies. (You could practically sense the Kardashian-Jenners reaching out for one.) “They were not real babies, but they were very realistic. Quite creepy, I have to say. We had a hard time styling those,” Demna laughed, before explaining the intention behind the sentiment he wanted to convey: “I wanted this ‘dad person’ that has piercings and wears ballerinas and crazy clothes.” At the root of Demna’s work at Balenciaga is a hellbent desire to bring the things we suppress to the surface. “For me, it’s a follow-up to the snow show. What happens when the show melts? It obviously turns into mud, but I found that the reference went deeper than that. It was digging for truth, which is something I’m constantly doing in my work: Trying to find out why I’m a designer through my personal experiences,” he said. “This was a very ‘me’ show in terms of references and looks and silhouettes.”
Originally published in Vogue.co.uk

Photo: Getty
Kim Kardashian has been declared legally single after a year long process of divorce disputes. The name West has been removed from her legal name, and she is now separated from rapper Ye. Issues of child custody and property rights still linger, but the move is a step forward in the rigorous case.
On February 23 of 2022, Kardashian attended a hearing regarding the matter via video conference during which the court judge asked her a series of questions. The questions included, “Did problems, disputes and differences cause a breakdown of your marriage?” and “Is it your desire to become a single person?” to both of which Kardashian answered yes. The judge has thereafter granted the divorce and dropped the name West from the entrepreneur’s title.
The reality TV star has been awaiting her divorce from West since February 19, 2021. The rapper, who has legally changed his name to Ye, has been delaying the couple’s divorce, but Kardashian urged the court to expedite the official separation last Wednesday through a filing. “I very much desire to be divorced,” wrote Kardashian to a Los Angeles Court.
Photo: Getty
Following marital issues related to Ye’s mental health and struggles with bipolar disorder, the reality TV star went on record on Wednesday to share that “While I wish our marriage would have succeeded, I have come to the realization that there is no way to repair our marriage.”
Over the past few months, Ye has spoken out against Kardashian’s family and current partner Pete Davidson on several occasions. Ye has also made remarks about Kim’s style of parenting, complaining that he has not been allowed to attend birthday celebrations or make any decisions of late. Kardashian refuted all of Ye’s claims, suggesting that his comments were merely a means to hinder the divorce proceedings.
Despite the many attempts on Ye’s end to keep the marriage alive—he reportedly sent Kardashian a truck full of roses this Valentine’s Day—Kardashian believes that the push by the court could help in allowing the rapper to understand their new status as co-parents. “I believe that the court terminating our marital status will help Kanye to accept that our marital relationship is over and to move forward on a better path which will assist us in peacefully co-parenting our children.” The couple has four children together: North, 8, Saint, 6, Chicago, 4, and Psalm, 2.
Photo: Instagram.com/kimkardashian
“Mr West, by his actions, has made it clear that he does not accept that the parties’ marital relationship is over,” the most recent court filing states. “Mr West has disseminated on social media the parties’ private communications and misinformation about personal family matters and co-parenting, which has caused emotional distress.”
After much damage control, the mother-of-four has drawn a red line for Ye. “Kanye does not agree but at least it appears that he has come to the realization that I want to end our marriage, even if he does not.”
Read Next: Kanye West Responds to Kim Kardashian’s Latest Vogue Shoot Featuring Their Kids

It seems Julia Fox had a birthday to remember.This week, the actress celebrated her 32nd birthday in New York City along with her boyfriend Ye, formerly known as Kanye West. The couple were seen at the celebrity-favorite French bistro Lucien in the East Village, where Fox wore a tight leather bandeau top with matching low-rise leggings. She topped off the look with a leather trenchcoat, black boots and a black ostrich Hermès Birkin.
At the dinner table, Fox was seen opening her presents, which included a Hermès bag and various pieces of diamond jewelry. The model-actress reportedly received multiple Birkin bags in different colors, including black, baby blue, navy and royal blue.

Some of the guests who were present for the festivities include playwright-actor Jeremy O. Harris, musician Zola Moon and models Paloma Elsesser and Richie Shazam.
For the after party, Fox and Ye headed to an unfinished storefront next to Lucien where they ate birthday cake and danced all night.

Related Galleries

Last month, the couple made a splash in their joint appearances during Paris couture week, specifically at the Kenzo and Schiaparelli shows, where the couple showed up in matching ensembles.

The two apparently caused a frenzy outside the Kenzo fall 2022 show, where Fox told WWD she was wearing Schiaparelli creative director Daniel Roseberry’s personal pair of Carhartt jeans. She finished the look with a Schiaparelli denim jacket with conical breasts, which she matched with oversize gilded earrings shaped like buttocks to match with Ye, who also wore denim head-to-toe by Balenciaga.
Later that week, the duo stepped out once again in matching ensembles, this time in all-black leather for Schiaparelli’s spring 2022 haute couture show. With the help of stylists Peri Rosenzweig and Briana Andalore and makeup artist Daniel Kolaric, Fox wore a black Schiaparelli minidress with thigh-high leather boots and signature jewelry pieces by the designer.
In an article she wrote for Interview magazine, she confirmed that she and the rapper have been dating since they met in Miami on New Year’s Eve, stating “it was an instant connection.”
READ MORE HERE:
Who Is Breakout Style Star Julia Fox?
Julia Fox Hits Paris Fashion Week in Schiaparelli Designer’s Pants
Julia Fox Is a Creative Chameleon

Together, Ye and Demna are “making cool clothes accessible for many.” Photo: Mert and Marcus; Willy Vanderperre
Are you ready for this? Friends and collaborators Ye and Demna, who until recently went by their full names Kanye West and Demna Gvasalia, are joining forces for a project at Gap. “It is a vision come true to work with Gap and Demna, the creative director of Balenciaga, to make incredible product available to everyone at all times,” Ye told Vogue.
The collection brings together the world famous rapper and creative and the hottest high fashion brand on the planet right now via the ubiquitous American retailer. Demna’s debut couture collection for Balenciaga last July was universally lauded as a triumph, and for a ready-to-wear follow-up, he partnered on a mini-episode of The Simpsons, complete with a Paris red carpet premiere. Ye, meanwhile, signed a giant 10-year deal with Gap in 2020, and though only a couple of items have been released so far, it’s attracted off-the-charts levels of attention. When it first went on sale last summer, the US $200 Round Jacket crashed Gap’s website and instantly sold out. Now, there’s a red one on offer at the resaler Goat.com for US $7,800.
Collaborations have become the lingua franca of the fashion world—see Fendi and Versace’s Fendace mashup; indeed, see Balenciaga and Gucci’s fall 2021 “hacking” activation. But Ye and Demna see this differently. Officially, the project is called Yeezy Gap Engineered by Balenciaga.
If that doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, it won’t be long before it does. Because, come on, Balenciaga at Gap prices! Demna clarifies: “This is a very different challenge. I’ve always appreciated the utilitarianism and the accessibility of Gap. I share some of the same sensibilities in my creative language. This project allowed me to join forces [with Ye] to create utilitarian fashion for all.”

Ye and Demna’s sensibilities have long been aligned. Demna says, “there’s a certain urban minimalism and poetry in our aesthetics, [and] also a desire to push boundaries.” But in the last few months the two have been priming the “Engineered by” pump. Demna creative-directed the stage sets and livestreams of Ye’s recent Donda listening events in Atlanta and Chicago and designed the t-shirt merch sold at them. Ye, for his part, has become Balenciaga’s biggest client. Just six days ago he was spotted at the brand’s Miami boutique with armfuls of shopping bags.
The Yeezy Gap logo Photo: Courtesy of Yeezy Gap
The first Yeezy Gap Engineered by Balenciaga drop is expected in June, with a second later in the year. And—who knows?—maybe there will be more down the line. Says Demna: “There are very few people that I know, especially of Ye’s caliber, who really understand my work so well. He makes me come out of my comfort zone and be a better designer. There’s no ego when we collaborate, just a mutual drive to evolve and do something great and new.”

Read Next: “It’s necessary for fashion’s survival:” Demna on Bringing Couture Back at Balenciaga
Originally published on Vogue.com

After listing his famous Wyoming ranch for sale last month, Kanye West has said farewell to six of his prized pickups.

The music superstar’s fleet of blacked-out Ford 4x4s is currently up for auction. Auctioneer Mark Musser confirmed Ye recently sold the custom four-wheelers to a local Ford dealership in Cody, Wyoming, which subsequently prompted Musser Bros. to put them on the block.

“After I learned that Fremont Motors of Cody bought these vehicles back, I approached them to discuss having an auction on these vehicles,” Musser told Robb Report. “I told them this would make an excellent online auction.”

The Grammy Award-winning artist moved from glitzy Los Angeles to mountainous Wyoming back in 2019. He bought two ranches—one in Cody, the other in Greybull—before splashing out on a number of trucks, SUVs, ATVs and even a Ripsaw EV2 tank to run riot on the properties.

2019 Ford F-150 Raptor 4×4 Supercrew with 35,243 Miles. 

Courtesy of Musser Bros.

The half dozen trucks in question, which were purchased just a year ago, showcase the very best of the Blue Oval’s off-roaders. Primed for rugged terrain, the haul includes a 2016 F-350, a 2017 F-250, a 2018 F-150 Raptor and a 2019 F-150 Raptor, along with two 2020 Ford Expedition SUVs (one XLT Max edition, the other a Limited Stealth edition). Each ride features a custom black matte wrap that can be removed for $250 if it’s not your thing, according to the auction house.
All six are presented in relatively good condition, albeit with a few miles on the ticker. They will be offered without reserve and bidding will wrap up on November 24. As of publication, the 2019 F-150 Raptor 4×4 Supercrew showing 35,243 miles had garnered the most attention. With a total of 82 bids thus far, the hulking truck is currently sitting at $53,015.
“We are already having lots of action and interest,” Musser added. “The most desirable and sought-after items are sold at auction, including artwork, collector cars, real estate, jewelry, etc., and these vehicles were the perfect fit.”
Of course, if real estate is more your bag, you could opt for the billionaire’s enormous Cody estate. Sited on six square miles, the aptly named “Monster Lake Ranch” comprises a luxurious lodge, horse stables, a go-kart course, hiking trails, lakes and more. The property was originally listed for $13.3 million but is now asking for $11 million.

West has also listed seven of his commercial properties collectively worth more than $3.2 million, according to Dirt.com. This suggests the “Runaway” singer could, in fact, be running away from Wyoming and back to Calabassas. His loss appears to be a collector’s gain.
Check out more photos below:

2020 Ford Expedition XLT Max 4×4 with 2,805 Miles. 

Courtesy of Musser Bros.

2018 Ford F-150 Raptor 4×4 Supercrew with 32,913 Miles. 

Courtesy of Musser Bros.

2020 Ford Expedition Limited Stealth 4×4 with 6,675 Miles. 

Courtesy of Musser Bros.

2016 Ford F-350 SRW 4×4 Lariat Crew Cab with 79,296 Miles. 

Courtesy of Musser Bros.

2017 Ford F-250 SRW 4×4 XLT with 80,848 Miles. 

Courtesy of Musser Bros.

Kim Kardashian in Balenciaga. Photo: Instagram/kimkardashian
Kim Kardashian has just worn what might be the boldest ensemble in her repertoire of statement looks. The Keeping Up with the Kardashians star stepped out in New York City dressed in a head-to-toe leather outfit by Balenciaga.

While the black trench coat, matching pants, gloves, and stiletto boots were already inching close to daring, it was the bodysuit zipped up to cover her face that took it all the way there.
Kanye West at the Doda listening event Photo: John Canon
Kardashian, whose style has been influenced by Kanye West since being married to him, seemed to have taken a page out of her now ex-husband’s sartorial book. The American rapper is often spotted both on and off stage with his face obscured by ski-mask style hoods and studded accessories. Together with Balenciaga’s creative director Demna Gvasalia, the trio has become synonymous with bold visuals as of late, more so since Kardashian reenacted her wedding vows with West dressed in a gown from the house’s first couture collection.

Kardashian’s latest outfit also joins her recent series of Balenciaga looks, which may culminate with a headline-making ensemble at the upcoming Met Gala. Before arriving in NYC for the event, she attended a dinner in Malibu wearing yet another subversive all-black look from Gvasalia’s fall/winter 2020 collection. This time, the makeup mogul channeled The Matrix with a one-sleeved asymmetric wrap dress, opera gloves, and stiletto heels topped off with futuristic shades.
Read Next: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West Reenact Their Wedding Vows in Balenciaga Haute Couture

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West at their wedding
Kanye West has pulled out all the stops for the promotion of his highly-anticipated 10th album, Donda. Currently previewing the record via a series of live-streamed events, West has given his fans multi-media experiences informed by his love of fine art and high fashion. Last night at Chicago’s Soldier Field stadium, West hosted his third and arguably most personal listening session. On stage was a to-scale replica of his childhood; his hometown serves as the backdrop as he reenacted his wedding vows to ex-wife Kim Kardashian. It all made for a highly intimate and autobiographical performance. Still, West’s stylized reimagining of his past reflects fashion’s present.
Also Read: Kanye West Interviews Wife and Vogue Arabia Cover Star Kim Kardashian

❤️ #Donda pic.twitter.com/BqEFUAaqe4
— Apple Music (@AppleMusic) August 27, 2021

Balenciaga’s creative director, Demna Gvasalia, has served as art director for West’s recent appearances, and his influence was all over the Soldier Field performance, particularly its finale. When Kardashian emerged in her veiled bridal finery, she wore the closing look of Gvasalia’s acclaimed haute couture debut. Originally presented on model Awar Odhiang during July’s show, which marked the Balenciaga brand’s first couture collection since 1968, the gown was striking in its simplicity. Backstage, Gvasalia told Vogue‘s Sarah Mower that his aim was elevation, to bring “couture allure, posture, and attitude” to the streetwise aesthetic for which he’d become known.
Photo: Demna Gvasalia
West, who was in the audience of the Balenciaga show, attempts something similar with his Donda experience. Billed as a creative rebirth—West wraps the concert by setting himself ablaze phoenix style—he’s picking apart his persona. When he and Kardashian tied the knot in 2014, their wedding came with a media blitz (and a joint Vogue cover). Now that they’re friendly exes, Kimye can repurpose their most significant moments to enrich their current projects. Reimagining your nuptials with the season’s most talked-about couture collection is one way to get people talking. The whole collaboration acts as a signifier for the next chapter of Kimye. Till death do them part, indeed.
Read Next: “It’s necessary for fashion’s survival:” Demna Gvasalia on Bringing Couture Back at Balenciaga
Originally published on Vogue.com

Kim Kardashian West wearing her Skims collections. Photo: Courtesy of Skims
American businesswoman Kim Kardashian and founder of Skims has announced the brand’s latest launch in a never-before-seen way. The 40-year-old television personality took to Instagram to share pictures of herself dressed in the new off-white Skims cozy fabric collection set to release next week, accompanied by a US $200,000 Lamborghini also fully wrapped in the same fabric. However, the lavish photoshoot was not received well by some people online.
“Kimmy had a little lamb-bo!!” wrote Kardashian. “Omg isn’t this the cutest and funniest thing ever??? A new lambo w everything @skims cozy fabric!” As it turns out, the newly-launched collection is not just limited to men, women, and kids, with the luxury ride’s complete exterior and interior redone with the furry material, including the tire hubcap, seats, roof, steering wheel, floor, and even the custom Skims license plate. The star lounged inside the car wearing her cozy line’s bra top, sweatpants, and slides in some pictures, and sunbathed on the car’s hood in another.

After 14 years of drama, fashion, and family, the reality television series Keeping Up with the Kardashians that made Kardashian and her siblings household names took its curtain call on June 10, for which Kardashian said she has no regrets. “This was, like, the best decade and a half of my life,” the model added when asked about the NBC Universal show. However, the Californian family has no plans to step back. They will make a comeback in a two-part reunion on June 17 and 20, and have signed a deal for a new series on the streaming platform Hulu, expected to launch later in 2021.
Read Next: “I want women to feel comfortable”: Kim Kardashian West Chats Inclusivity, Diversity and the Future of Skims