No one can deny that you, Mr. West, are talented in the realms of music. You can take a unknown song, sample it, and create something that sounds vaguely familiar. Whether we loved or hated your latest album, Yeezus, we still recognize the musical gift you possess. One thing you do not seem to possess, however, is homosexuality, and according to you, that’s the one thing preventing you from being a powerhouse in the fashion industry.
In a interview with Show Studio on Oct. 6, you candidly talked about how you feel heterosexuality is hindering you from breaking through the world of haute couture. You stated, “I felt that I got discriminated against in fashion for not being gay, whereas in music you definitely get discriminated against if you are gay.”
It appears that few people are taking the Yeezy clothing line seriously. When Yeezy Season 2 debuted in September, the Internet, celebrities, and fashion critics throughout the world were polarized. Few loved it. Many hated it. The line was compared to everything from Star Wars costumes to “Hunger Games chic.”
Though you have found some support in the industry, the confusion and dislike for your clothing line clearly overshadows those who appreciated Yeezy Season 2 as wearable art.
All because you’re not gay.
Oh, Kanye.
It is not your sexual identity that caused people to think your clothing line too closely mimicked the garb of a Jedi.
It is not your sexual identity that caused fashion’s top critics to consider your line drab and basic.
It is not your sexual identity that caused the Internet to create a never-ending torrent of memes that mocked your models and designs.
Your name carries a heavy weight in the entertainment world, but sometimes a name isn’t enough to produce a positive reaction. You have to have substance behind you, too. As a musical artist, this is something you should know. People are beginning to see past your name, and what we’re seeing isn’t inspiring.
What we see is an entitled entertainer who offered up an excuse of sexual discrimination instead of accepting the fact that his status as a serious designer is lukewarm, at best.
And for the record, plenty of the great designers we know and love are gay, but many are straight, too. Roberto Cavalli. Ralph Lauren. Oscar de la Renta. Christian Lacroix. Andrew Fezza. All amazing. All straight.
Considering how your fashions from your first collection are extremely similar to Season 2, it is safe to say that your aesthetic doesn’t vary. It’s difficult to break into the field with other designers who know how to construct creative garments and use color palettes beyond beige, dingy browns, and military greens. It’s hard to compete with other successful designers who put on runway shows that don’t look like a room full of Walkers.
Perhaps your fashion is unimaginative, uninspiring, and disjointed. Perhaps it lacks a story or relevant social commentary. Or maybe it’s overpriced, and doesn’t cater to any specific demographic. That is, of course, unless you count the people who loved the Mugatu “homeless chic” fashions from Zoolander. It is art at its most elementary level.
That, Kanye, is why fashion isn’t following you. It has nothing to do with your sexuality and everything to do with a lack of genius.