How could ‘Ye be so heartless

Neutrals. Multiracial. Underboob. Shambles. These are all words that can be used to describe the “hot mess” that was Kanye West’s NYFW show on September 7th. Needless to say, the event, much like Kanye himself, garnered some controversy.

Anybody who’s even remotely into fashion would have heard about the two hour plus wait for guests, the blistering heat that led to two models fainting, and the heels that even professional models couldn’t bear to wear.

Regardless of these awful mishaps, did Yeezy Season 4, the actual collection, pull through and deliver? Well, in terms of artistry and innovativeness, Kanye West could be your man, depending on which way you look at it. His music is always changing the game. He’s different, outspoken and people love it.

Neutrals. Multiracial. Underboob. Shambles. These are all words that can be used to describe the “hot mess” that was Kanye West’s NYFW show on September 7th.

However, in spite of all his creative talents, it doesn’t seem like designing clothing is his strong point. Don’t get me wrong, he’s good at what he does, but is Mr West reaching a little too far by venturing into the world of fashion? With only four seasons, it might be harsh to suggest that West isn’t really changing or growing with his collection. That’s the glass half-full approach. If we look at the glass as half-empty, we might be inclined to believe that four seasons should be enough to see some change and development, and that West isn’t really delivering either.

His entire aim is to make clothes that are “timeless” and therefore easy to wear directly from the catwalk, something that he has arguably achieved with his neutral military-inspired pieces. However, fashion is an art and it’s always changing – that’s the beauty of it. Each show tells a different story.

VOGUE believe, though, that the style of Kanye’s clothes hasn’t really changed, apart from its colour palette, which has grown lighter and more washed-out. Therefore, West doesn’t really get many ticks on his creative game. And while The Huffington Post called the show “visually…pretty darn cool”, not much has changed from his past shows. Personally, I’d prefer shows like Yeezy Season 3 (which was aligned with his release of The Life of Pablo) over Yeezy Season 4 any day.

VOGUE believe, though, that the style of Kanye’s clothes hasn’t really changed, apart from its colour palette, which has grown lighter and more washed-out.

That being said, it’s easy to be a critic these days and West does score points elsewhere in his show. He reportedly declined to use any models that were not multi-racial, and his chosen location was deeply poignant. The FDR Four Freedoms Park was where President Roosevelt introduced his 1941 State of the Union address where he put forth his idea of the four freedoms; the freedom of speech, worship, from want, and from fear.

In a politically unstable climate and a point in time where we still need movements like Black Lives Matter, Kanye is using his position in the limelight brilliantly. It is in these kinds of ideas, connections, and allusions that West excels. It’s just a shame that his clothing collection doesn’t reflect the true extent of his creative mind.