The always-controversial hip-hop star takes a break from lambasting Adidas and Gap for their sinful business practices to commit a fashion sin of his own.
The 45-year-old rapper, producer and fashion icon (who prefers to be known as simply ‘Ye’ these days) has flown across the pond to support his friend Riccardo Tisci’s Burberry Spring/Summer 2023 runway show at London Fashion Week – reportedly the Italian designer’s last show for the British luxury brand.
But it seems Mr. West has stolen the show thanks to his inspired outfit choice, topping off a classically Kanye fit consisting of a leather jacket and trousers over one of his own hoodies with some bedazzled flip-flops and socks. Yeah, that’s right. Bedazzled.
Naturally, Ye’s bizarre footwear choice is all the internet can talk about right now. Socks and sandals (or slides, or flip-flops) are inarguably one of the biggest fashion faux pas one can commit… And one that British men seem rather fond of doing, as it happens.
It must be said that over the last ten years, a number of high-profile fashion designers such as Rick Owens, Vivienne Tam and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen as well as designer labels including A.P.C, Gucci and Miu Miu have all experimented with socks and sandals – although no doubt an element of that experimentation has been inspired by their shock value.
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But Kanye might have actually done the impossible and made socks with sandals cool. It’s so outrageous – especially considering they’re bedazzled, as well – that it’s actually a flex.
Ye’s been paying attention to the media frenzy around his flip-flops, too, joking on his Instagram Story “don’t talk to me” and sharing an SMS exchange with fellow rapper A$AP Bari where he said he “knew these slides was gonna go crazy”.
He’s also deleted all his IG grid posts and shared a story saying “get your popcorn” so we can suspect there’s even more drama on the way…
As Vogue relates, Ye is no stranger to unconventional footwear. For Balenciaga’s resort show in New York back in May, he showed up wearing the label’s XXL rubber boots just moments before they were shown on the runway, for example. His very own Yeezy Foam RNNR clogs also stand out as some of the most unique footwear creations of recent memory.
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He’s also a big lover of slides, having long produced slides both under his Yeezy Season imprint as well as with Adidas… Although his relationship with the latter looks set to finally come to an end, with West vocally expressing displeasure with the nature of the collaboration in recent months.
Expect some more drama around West’s Adidas (and Gap) deals in the coming days, we reckon.
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