Karla Otto, the PR firm in charge of the Kanye West account, confirmed to WWD today that the rapper will not show a Spring 2013 collection in Paris this week.
West has thus far shown two collections in Paris, one for Spring 2012, and another for Fall. His first showing was universally panned, with critics like The New York Times‘s Eric Wilson saying, “What Mr. West eventually showed was confusing…it was obvious that most of the clothes suffered from a poor fit.” His second offerings were better-received, although rather tepidly.
A look from Kanye West Spring 2012
So what does this mean for the Kanye West line? Karla Otto made no mention of whether the label will go kaput after this season. West’s design efforts haven’t been wholly unsuccessful; the shoes he created for rising Australian designer Dion Lee‘s Spring and Fall 2012 collections were well-received, and those famous pearly Giuseppe Zanotti pumps from his Spring 2012 offerings have appeared in a few editorials.
Kanye West x Giuseppe Zanotti shoes in V Magazine’s music issue
A look from Kanye West Fall 2012
These days, it seems Yeezy has focused his energies on styling his latest muse, girlfriend Kim Kardashian. His foray into styling has also been greeted with mixed emotions. Either way, It’s clear Kanye is extremely passionate about fashion, and is just looking for his place in a tough industry. Can’t we all relate?
People will have their personal views on Kanye’s place in fashion; whether he should continue desgining, styling, etc. But the fact remains: Kanye loves fashion, ya’ll. He really, really does. And from one passionate fashionista to another, I encourage him to find his niche (he’s not bad at designing shoes!), and keep pursuing those things he loves.
What do you think? Should Kanye give up on designing altogether, or take some time out to hone his craft?
~Jihan
September 21, 2012 5:08 pm
I agree Jihan, he should continue to pursue one of his loves (fashion). I don’t believe in the “jack of all trades”, at all . I think we all have an innate purpose that we should excel in and skills and talents in other ventures ( associated or not) that aid and propel our God given gift. I don’t think he should just drop the designing, but maybe he should consider giving someone else with talent and time the platform that he has and lend a hand in styling, refining,ect.
September 21, 2012 5:24 pm
FLOP-ye West.
Incredibly sick of his trollin’ overrated pretentious ass. No boo, your fashion is tired, through and delayed. You are only doing this to inflate your already over-sized ego. There is a difference between genuine passion in designing and designing simply because you can. Goodbye!!
September 21, 2012 5:47 pm
If it is one of his true passions, I would encourage him to continue to pursue it. He should already know how to handle a tough industry being a musician. All he needs is a little patience and time to perfect his craft and he will be ok.
September 21, 2012 6:31 pm
I’m with Mo_Sheri10.
September 21, 2012 6:42 pm
I didn’t find his designs all that great either. Women’s wear is very hard to conquer especially if its not something that you are skilled at and have perfected over years time like the majority of the male designers who design women’s wear. I think Kanye doesn’t really have the keen eye for women’s fashion so maybe he should try mens wear since he loves dressing himself. He has kim walking around looking dreadful these days. I respect his passion but some things just aren’t meant to be, Music is his God given talent and he will always excel at that.
September 21, 2012 7:13 pm
Hey i say let him be!
September 21, 2012 7:32 pm
Can he even see or sketch? Everyone thinks they are a designer. Ppl go to school for this. The have much training, they don’t just say I want to be a designer then have others sketch and sew for them!
September 21, 2012 8:29 pm
Kanye needs to have a seat, point blank period.
September 21, 2012 9:10 pm
yes,he should keep going and continue to educate himself in fashion.
I hope he does well,we need more black designers in the fashion industry.
I am not really a fan of the whole kim styling.But,I would welcome a great line of clothes from him.
September 21, 2012 9:54 pm
He really has a passion for design. Ye has designed some great shoes. I think he should design more shoes
September 21, 2012 10:27 pm
Well he can always go design for Dash.
September 21, 2012 11:29 pm
I adore his passion and determination to be apart of the culture, however he needs to take time to work on his craft before he displays it to the world. If it wasn’t so easy for him design a line and put on a fashion show with his own resources I think he would have more hunger and work harder to make it perfect and not just expect his stuff to sell simply because it’s made by ‘Kanye West’.
September 22, 2012 12:00 am
Take time to work on his craft, personally besides a skirt from his earlier collection I didn’t like his designs…shrugs I think maybe he need to work under someone or get together with an up and coming designer who can bring his ideas to light and wants to get in the biz. Just because you are passionate about something doesn’t mean you do it well I am passionate about ballet but I am not a ballerina you have to work to get there OR fund someone else dream to be…
September 22, 2012 7:51 am
That’s good news to hear, his collections were horrible. They were cliche, and unflattering, and not suprised they didn’t even do well. Kanye needs to think about what looks flattering on women, and what women will actually buy, not what he thinks women should wear.
I don’t believe Kanye is passionate about Fashion at all, I believe he is passionate about owning Labels. He wears the ugliest stuff just because it came from a certain brand, and then puts Kim in the most ill fitting, ill proportionate outfits, as well as those poor models who had no choice but to wear them on the runways.
September 22, 2012 8:10 am
Poor Kim…she’s one of Kanye’s victims. Some of the outfits he puts her in are terrible but i think since he’s her man she’s not going to dismiss every single idea. Luckily, Kim can pull of a lot of different styles.
As for him pursuing his dreams, I’m 100% supportive of that. He has been given 100x the resources than most so he has a huge leap ahead of the commoners. But fashion takes years and sometimes decades to master so perhaps he should spend the next few seasons getting educated about patterns, trends, and materials. He’s not terrible…but we have high expectations from someone in the 1%.
September 22, 2012 8:18 am
Say Ye say Ye don’t we do this everyday Ye? Ye may need to focus on menswear his styling for women is waaayyyy too boring.
September 22, 2012 11:06 am
he’s annoying and so is his girlfriend. if he were passionate about fashion, he’d take more time in making it at least look good and work for the people who wear it.
September 22, 2012 12:31 pm
Leave Ye’ alone…He tryin’.
September 22, 2012 5:52 pm
I was actually looking forward for his show! That really sucks!
blackandolives.blogspot.com
September 23, 2012 1:36 am
It amazes me how he even got the opportunity to show 2 of his collections in Paris in the first place.
September 23, 2012 2:00 pm
I agree with MEME 100% on this one. I think he just wants to be known as the “rapper that can do it all”. He’s too focused on what he THINKS is high fashion but I comes off looking downright stupid. He doesn’t consider basics (like 5’2″ Kim will look silly in something a 6’2″ model looked stunning in) and I honestly feel like he’s just in it for the attention. People work really hard for a long time to release collections and the attention to detail is so apparent and in turn appreciated. The fact that he sent a whole collection down a runway that didn’t fit any of the models is just….unacceptable. If he doesn’t care about his collections neither should we! Good riddance Kanye.
September 23, 2012 9:30 pm
As much as he has been irking the shit out of me lately(imma fan of his music not him lol) I think he should make a shoe line instead, or some clothes that’ll appeal to the hip-hop community, because him in high fashion womens wear, is not gonna work. He could make a high fashion hip hop line along with a bomb shoe line.That’s where his niche is at
September 24, 2012 10:12 am
I think he should have a hand in fashion YES, but maybe designing is not for him. I think he should use his money to back an up and coming designer (Such as myself – JD Marie line coming soon) and be a creative edge in the craft. Some people cant do it alone.
September 24, 2012 10:42 am
I think it goes w/o saying that his line was #1 Wack! #2 He is making Kim look so bad, you can tell by the look on her face when she’s out now that she doesn’t feel comfortable or beautiful in what she’s wearing. And thats the most important rule in dressing a woman. Which he has yet to comprehend.
September 24, 2012 11:14 am
He needs to stop.
September 24, 2012 12:19 pm
Praise Jah!