Kanye West (seriously, we swear he is) Photo: Paras Griffin (Getty Images)
When it comes to Kanye West’s streetwear brand Yeezy, one man’s trash (bag) really is another man’s treasure. In a new interview, West publicly defends his decision to sell his label’s coveted collaboration with Gap out of large black duffel bags, a decision that some on Twitter criticized as appropriating the poverty to sell high-end hoodies. In a now-deleted Instagram post (reported by the Los Angeles Times), West explained that he found inspiration for the line in “kids” and “homeless.”
Speaking to Fox News, West defended his aesthetic choices, explaining that he has no interest in mocking the homeless but hopes to challenge fashion’s conventional trappings with more egalitarian clothing.
“Listen, man, I’m an innovator and I’m not here to apologize for my ideas,” says West. “That’s exactly what the media is trying to get us to apologize for any idea that isn’t exactly how they want us to think.”
The mass awareness for the Yeezy Gap’s unique in-store launch originally came from a viral tweet from the user @owen_langwho shared a photo of the hobo chic scene at a store location. “The seller said Ye got mad when he saw they had it on hangers and he wanted it that way,” the tweet reads. “They won’t help you find your size either, you just have to rummage through everything.”
“This is not a joke, this is not a game, this is not just a celebrity collaboration, this is my life,” West shares in the Fox News clip, his face partially protected by a simple black Gap flat-brim. “I’m fighting for a position to be able to change clothes and bring the best design to people.” He also shares his disdain for people who, like him, “goof the makers” and try new (if slightly memeable) design formats.
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According to interviewer Eric Shawn, West says it was “God’s plan” for him to share his thoughts on Fox News. Although a Fox & Friends spot for West to defend his clothing line from online haters seems far from a heavenly priority, who knows — if God really were just a chump like one of us, you wouldn’t think that he would be on twitter?