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Tim Gunn is not a Yeezy fan.
At. All.
When the influential US fashion commentator was asked about Kanye West’s latest Yeezy collection late last week, he didn’t exactly mince his words.
“I’m totally perplexed about why the fashion industry has not looked at these, frankly, dumb, basic clothes and cried ‘Hoax’,” Gunn told Access Hollywood. ‘I just don’t understand why people are so in awe. [The models were] basically wearing stretch undergarments.”
He added, “I think the only thing dumber than these clothes would be the people who would buy these clothes.”
Ouch.
Gunn’s comments came just days after the rapper’s latest show (which saw models faint in the heat), and just weeks after long lines snaked through Sydney and Melbourne streets as people queued to snag some Yeezy swag.
What do we think?
At marie claire opinions are mixed.
marie claire’s market editor Tara Morris is cautiously generous:
“I think yes, even though Kanye’s designs aren’t revolutionary, he is nailing it in the street wear scene. And while some may say it’s ‘crap’ or a ‘hoax’ .. he’s just talking to a certain market that maybe isn’t for everyone, but what is for everyone? And why shouldn’t it have a place in the fashion realm.
“If people will line up for nine hrs (all over the world) just to get a hoodie, that alone shows just how much he has tapped into a market that wants his stuff.
“And whilst his time in the fashion world might not be forever, I’m totally on board the Yeezy train for now.”
StyledBy marie claire content editor Brittany Henderson is less impressed.
“Unlike Tim Gunn, I don’t think Yeezy fans are dumb. Want to drop $700 on a pair of cotton tracksuit pants? Knock yourself out.
“But I don’t buy into the hype. Since debuting the brand in 2015, Kanye has rolled out strikingly similar pieces: skin-tight or super loose athleisure in muted, monochromatic hues; iterations of the Yeezy Boost sneakers; all those bodysuits… none of which I find particularly inspiring. Or wearable for that matter.
“Who looks good in these clothes? And if the West/Kardashian publicity machine weren’t behind it, would anyone seriously be taking any notice?
“What really gets me is the valuable air time West is given over up-and-coming designers, that the celebrity factor completely overshadows the discovery of new talent. His show at NYFW last week was a five-hour ordeal, meaning many editors missed out on seeing smaller brands on the official calendar. I know where I would rather be.”
What do you think?
