Whether you love him or hate him, it’s hard to deny Kanye West’s influence in both the fashion and music industry. His leaked song “XCTY” left everyone in shock over his controversial lyrics, and his new fashion releases are always highly anticipated by fans. Throughout the years, his style has continuously evolved, solidifying his role as one of the world’s biggest trendsetters.
Most young teens in 2019 are rocking at least one piece of Kanye West fashion: whether it be Yeezys, baggy shirts, baggy sweatpants, or a stoic frown plastered on their faces.
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Who Is Kanye West?
If you somehow haven’t heard of Kanye West, here’s a little refresher. He burst into the rap scene in the late 1990s but gained the attention of the masses in 2004 with his first album The College Dropout. He’s also infamous for his long and explosive rants (let’s not forget the 2008 VMAs incident) and his fashion choices. Kanye West’s clothing is so anticipated that articles speculating his next Yeezy release are written basically every time he leaves the house.
Kanye West’s Iconic Style
Kanye West’s style usually consists of high-end designer pieces, rubber shoes, and his signature frown. Some of his favourite designers include Dior, Versace, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Balmain. Like most designers, his personal style influenced his Yeezy clothing line. Any Kanye fan can tell you that he loves shoes and it shows with his multiple collaborations from Giuseppe Zanotti to Nike. He loves sneakers especially, and you can see that in addition to wearing his own shoes, he shows appreciation for Vans, Adidas, Reeboks, and tons other sneaker brands!
He’s never afraid to push the boundaries of what men’s fashion could be and is very adventurous in his style. And while his clothing is often expensive (a Kanye West shirt may cost around $AUD100) people are still quick to snap it up!
The Official Top 20 Best Kanye Looks
Let’s take a look at some of the most iconic outfits the rapper has worn over the years:
Kanye West In An All-Black Ensemble
Kanye West in boots: name a more iconic duo! He’s often seen in Timberlands and baggy sweats worn in a monochromatic outfit. His versatility shows when he wears different variations of a simple all-black outfit, showcasing his creativity and style.
Kanye Wearing A Hoodie, Joggers, And Yeezys
Whenever Kanye West shoes are released (the infamous Yeezys), sneakerheads everywhere camp outside of stores to get their hands on a pair – talk about dedication. He’s collaborated with both Adidas and Nike, and as a result, dozens of incarnations of his shoes have become super popular worldwide. Kanye himself is known for wearing different versions of his very own unreleased Yeezys, and then not releasing them; leaving fans to wonder what to expect in his next release.
Kanye West In Pants, A Bomber Jacket, And Sneakers
Another one of the rapper’s favourite brands is Balenciaga. Kanye West is all about his joggers, and he loves to try gracefully combine them with some dress pants every once in a while. Whenever he and his wife go on dates, he usually pops on a pair of bright sneakers to complete his outfit.
Kanye West In White Jeans, A Sweater, And Rubber Shoes
If he’s not rocking an all-black outfit, then chances are he’s in a crisp, all-white outfit. Kanye West in white pants is a frequent look for his performances. Ye’s style has always had a been casual and comfortable but he makes sure to level it up with a statement piece like some fancy shoes or some other accessory.
Kanye West In A Fur Coat
Givenchy is another staple brand for the rapper. He frequents their fashion shows and even makes it into a family event, bringing his wife and kids with him. Givenchy and Kanye go way back and the same goes for him and fur jackets. Kanye West’s winter fashion often involves large fur coats worn over jeans, a shirt, and his trusty Timberlands.
Kanye West In Runners, Shorts, And A Sweater
Kanye West’s summer fashion usually consists of the odd combination of sweaters and shorts. But when it gets really hot, you can usually find Kanye West in a white shirt and shorts to keep things breezy and cool. Some of his favourite athleisure brands to wear during summer are Under Armour, New Balance, Reebok, and Puma.
Kanye West In A Black Shirt, Bomber Jacket, And Boots
A black shirt and gold chain is another staple for the Chicago-born rapper. Whether it’s for his performances or casual play dates with his daughter, he’s usually seen in a black shirt to stay cool and comfortable. For special occasions, he layers over it with a bomber jacket or long coat.
Kanye West In Leather Pants And A Black Shirt
Yeezy used to love leather pants! And while nowadays Kanye much prefers to wear joggers and jeans, he still brings out the leather from time to time. For special events, like date night or an awards show, he steps up his usual outfit by adding some hide to the mix.
Kanye West In Ripped Jeans And A White Jacket
Ripped jeans have been part of Ye’s arsenal since the early ‘00s. Nowadays Kanye West’s jean style goes back and forth between ripped, black, and denim jeans, with Fendi and Saint Laurent being go-to brands.
Kanye West In A Denim Shirt And Jeans
Kanye adores denim! In his music video for “FourFiveSeconds” with Rihanna and Sir Paul McCartney, he wore an all-denim outfit with Timberlands. In Autumn you can usually find Kanye West in a denim jacket worn over a simple t-shirt and jeans.
Kanye West In A Leather Jacket Over A Sweater And Leather Pants
It’s no secret that Kanye loves to layer his outfits, especially during cold days. With this particular outfit, he adds another layer of style to his ensemble with the leather jacket. This makes his outfit more daring and dynamic while keeping it appropriate for cold weather.
Kanye West In A Coat, Pants, Shirt, And Rubber Shoes
Another thing Kanye loves is wearing coats. Most of his Winter outfits consist of fashionable coats worn over the simplest of outfits. The North Face, Alpha Industries, Haider Ackermann, and Visvim are some of the rapper’s favourite brands when it comes to coats.
Kanye West In A Hat, Fur Coat, And T-shirt
Hats are a staple accessory for any rapper and Kanye is no different. He loves hats and often wears them that make a statement (remember Kanye West in that red hat!) But perhaps his most admired hat is the now-infamous ‘Kanye West purple hat’, the one with “XPSWRLD” written on it. This enigmatic cap trended heavily back in 2017, and fans still don’t know what in the world XPSWRLD means!
Kanye West In A Skirt
Outfits like this one show that Kanye is absolutely fearless about making bold fashion choices. In an interview with MTV back in 2015, he said that he didn’t feel limited to what he should wear “because of some perception” and that he saw the skirt, liked it, and wore it. Similar to when Prada put miniskirts on men, Kanye also loves to challenge the norm and bend the rules in fashion.
Kanye West In Red Shoes
At the beginning of his career, Kanye was usually seen wearing a plethora of colourful sneakers. But his red ones seem to be his all-time favourite! In one of his performances, he even wore an all-red outfit, looking like the visual representation of a stop sign.
Kanye West In Black Jeans, A Shirt, And Rubber Shoes
Fashion designer Gareth Pugh once said: “I think in black”. And with how much black Kanye wears, it’s clear he thinks the same way! Out of all his clothes, he most frequently wears black jeans. It’s a smart choice, considering that black jeans are one of the most flexible clothing items in existence!
Kanye West In A Green Jacket, Ripped Jeans, And Shoes
In one of his many controversial fashion choices, Kanye wore a Confederate Flag green jacket. However, he’s not the first rapper to rock the flag. OutKast’s Andre 3000 wore it on his belt in the music video for their very popular song Ms Jackson. Ludacris also performed in the 2015 VIBE Awards wearing a Confederate flag outfit. Politics and hip-hop are very deeply connected and it’s not uncommon for rappers to wear the Confederate flag as a sign of rebellion, or as a protest against racial profiling in the US.
Kanye West In White Shoes, Long-Sleeved Shirt, And Denim Jeans
Kanye’s love for white never ends! While he does love white clothes in general, one of his favourite pieces is white sneakers. Kanye West does the blue jeans/white sneakers combo as well as anyone! He even alternates them with black jeans every once in a while.
Kanye West In Slides And A Suit
Leave it to Kanye to wear slides to a wedding! At 2Chainz’s wedding back in 2018, he decided to pair his Louis Vuitton suit with socks and slides! If you haven’t noticed this already, Kanye’s style prioritises comfort over all else.
Kanye West In A Scarf, Blazer, And Glasses
Kanye was famous for wearing scarves and other preppy accessories during his ‘Graduation’ era; he was usually seen in a keffiyeh, a traditional scarf from Palestine. While the trend itself is still around, Kanye has long since dropped the scarves in favour of long coats and flashy jackets.
Conclusion
Say what you want about Kanye West, but the truth is that he’s an icon, both in fashion and the music industry! His knack for breaking convention has inspired dozens if not hundreds of young artists today. Love him or hate him, you have to respect that he’s never afraid to speak his mind or wear whatever he wants, no matter how controversial it may be.
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