Kanye West flaunted his second, full 20 piece ready-to-wear collection Tuesday evening during the highly-acclaimed Paris Fashion Week. Hours later results are in, depending who you ask, Kanye’s subsequent showing was good.
Good may seem like a polite way to thumb your nose at someone, but the “N***** In Paris” rapper would have begged for such a description during his first showing. In short, he and his foremost collection were slaughtered before dragged against coals.
But throughout the blogosphere this morning, there seems to be some redeeming qualities for the aspiring designer.
“And in our humble opinion, this sophomore showing proved to be bigger and better then his first,” touted Huffington Post.com. And StyleMTV.com joined in with a similar, short and sweet denotation, “Kanye West’s show was good.”
While just being “good” won’t move patrons to buy your collection wear, especially when the price tag boasts upwards of six grand for sandals alone, the fledging designer has to start somewhere. (Have you seen those $6,000 shoes though?)
Visits from high-profile friends like Sean “Diddy” Combs, Cassie, Swizz Beatz and wife Alicia Keys along with fashion juggernauts Anna Wintour, Andre Leon Talley, and Guiseppe Zanotti could either help or haunt the mogul’s confidence during his second showing. Though according to StyleMTV.com, his confidence could definitely use some jousting.
“I expect Kanye to be great. I believe it’s somewhere in there. He needs to find his voice. He needs to go to that place where his eyes get shiny and his expression gets stank and then he needs to sketch some damned clothes. Or yell at the dude doing the sketching with decisive and actionable words.”
Another knock for the unreserved yet sensitive rapper would be finding an aesthetic that speaks to who he is explicitly. While West stayed true to his love for fur and leather (I’m sure PETA is conjuring up their letter right about now), evidence of other notable designers such as Givenchy and Riccardo were in a few of the pieces—which isn’t a good look.
But his accessories were a huge yes with a check mark.
“The chokers that are in essence doubled-up belts were genius. The knee-high, ribbed, spike bondage boots were revelatory. Truly. I kinda love that Kanye keeps trying to make fur backpacks happen but the enormous, slouchy bags that looked like backpacks (think Jansport-ish pouch pockets) were brilliant. As were the nimble, little, gold clutches,” per StyleMTV.com.
However, in classic Kanye style, he bailed on an interview with Eric Wilson from NYTIMES fashion blog citing being “treated unfairly by the media” which may have slanted Eric’s ill-thoughts even more about the rapper-turned-designer second line.
“His leather skirts had a stiff half-ruffle pointing out at the hems. Karlie Kloss wore a leather jacket that, kind of interestingly, had no back, but then there was again a preponderance of questionable fur looks, including pants that were broadtail on the front, clingy fabric on the back. When Joan Smalls closed the show, wearing an adhesive black gauze dress with a strip of alligator running up the front, it seemed as if Mr. West’s approach to making a dress was like a cook wrapping leftover turkey.” Ouch!
Well, the good thing about fashion is beauty is in the eye of the beholder and whoever is willing to dish out thousands for ready-to-wear clothing. Good luck Kanye West.
