After much speculation and anticipation, Yeezy Season is upon us.
On the first day of NYFW, the doors opened to a full Kanye style voiceover calling out commentors and naysayers before central lights slowly flooded the space to reveal 50 models standing staring forward, ready to kill.
Being donned by many as post apocalyptic attire or hunger games chic, Kanye West's collection featured earthy tones from nudes to greens. Stretching from lovers and critics of streetwear and fashion to Kanye haters and art ignoramus, the grand unveiling of Kanye West’s debut line with Adidas Originals was always set to be one of the most divisive collections of the year which would naturally prompt an influx of debate and opinions amongst us. The Yeezy touched looks and accompanying footwear was presented to the front row and beyond in a streotypical industrial style setting (created by contemporary artist Vanessa Beecroft). The setting befitted the collection and gave the collection meaning and a clear context but despite the gripping visuals, the world is split on the star and his new offering.
My first impressions of YEEZY SEASON 1 were positive.
Sinking my teeth into the muted tones, i took on-board the rappers collection and was presented with a nice change from the high octane colour and flare of 70's themed men's fashion week of recent. As the lights went up and unearthly synthesiser sounds filled the air, the models started to file forward. The 50 stronghold each shone light on one or two items of aesthetic but the accumulation of layers certainly encapsulated Kanye’s style and became a cohesive part of the collection. From my initial reaction, i also looked back into my files to see that the collection mainly featured looks that depicted the style he’s been championing as of late. From oversized jumpers to puffy bombers, everything we've seen Kanye don in his most street-wise of times was featured in some way or another in the presentation. The question being thrown around off the back of this is whether or not he's stole the designs from his own favoured designers. The fear being that maybe the collection is too much a reflection of his interests and influences. With this being said it’s unsurprising that the collection feels a little bit like a beginners attempt at recreating Rick Owens or Raf Simons whilst maybe trying to keep the class of various Maison Margeila projects.
Reportedly, in interviews that followed the reveal, it was interesting to find that the collection was born out the shadows of the London riots. This proved as a little shock for most as his influence took place years before the collection was revealed and given recent ordeals in America seen in Ferguson and beyond, the London Riots, that sprung due to an unjust killing of a black teenager (Mark Duggan) by a police officer, just seemed a little distant for the musician to use as a starting point. But if we bare his points in mind, the dystopian subtext that appeared prevalent in numerous pieces give the whole collection a unified artistry despite what your opinion on the collection is.
Despite whether or not you consider the collection fashion or ground breaking in style, the concise nature of his work in a vast mass of pieces that behold his single theme allows him to at least tick the box for highlighting an issue and sticking to it throughout the process. An earthy, post-apocalyptic aesthetic runs throughout as a sort of visual representation of his gritty raw-future album "Yeezus". Needless to say that some designs are informed by Ye's favourites, but West’s design philosophy and thought process comes through clearly and right on the money... almost like a pro old school designer.
Does YEEZY Season 1 and Kanye West warrant so much hate and critique?
- Although Yeezy may not have necessarily delivered us with a new style and fashion that we were promised, its still early days and the first of many seasons for the musician. its also worth noting that he’s successfully and impressively channelled the raw death grip aesthetic he curated with Rick Rubin back in 2013 and has been championing ever since.
- With the collection looking like a bit like a customisation class a Private Military Surplus shop, the clothes presented are reminiscent of the Yeezus sound which in hindsight gives his output over the last couple of years higher clarity.
- At 90 looks, Kanye West’s collaboration with Adidas ran the risk of losing its edge, clarity and indifference due to the expanse of the collection. Being established now as an outstanding cohesive collection, questions remain about whether the results live up to the hype and promise of something "new" and "better".
- Aesthetically, Kanye’s use of camouflage, military influence and distressing techniques was hardly groundbreaking, but the collection’s dystopian vibe did, in no doubt, rain through as consistent. Continuing an interesting trend that has been favoured by Kanye’s designer contemporaries Jerry Lorenzo and Shayne Oliver, among others, the individual pieces worn together are almost a stylists dream as each create a sense of uniformity. with this in mind, it comes as no surprise that the collection has been compared to Hunger Games and its concise costume design.
Yeezy 750 Boost
Whilst the hype concerning his collection was all unravelling, the big reveal of his coveted new Yeezy's under new bosses Adidas, Yeezy 750 Boost, is still the biggest talking point upon everyone's lips. With Adidas being top dawgs in new footwear with the new boost soles and work with Yamamoto, the new Yeezy's have a big shoes to fill (see what i did there?) as they have to compete with Nike Air Yeezy's, Yamamoto's Y-3's and Adidas' own Superstars, Stan Smiths and Tubular Runs. In my opinion, i like the new footwear from the rapper-come-designer. Previously i disliked the trainer when i originally set eyes on them with the plain neutral colour and unshapely unorthodox silhouette upon them but once i saw them worn, my opinions flipped and am now a big fan of the crepes. Consequently, fans now have to choose between the Yeezy's and the Y-3's when it comes to splashing out $350.
Wolves
Halfway through the performance and the ominous noises, a bassline kicked in and the musical section of the audience started bobbing their heads. P Diddy, Rihanna, Big Sean, Justin Beiber, Jay Z and Beyonce all started to dance in their seat as the song changed the atmosphere in the room.
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