Kanye West on Tuesday insisted he had no issue with Vogue’s contributing fashion editor, despite ridiculing her the day before when she expressed concern over his ‘White Lives Matter’ fashion show.
West, 45, caused an uproar with Monday’s show in Paris, which saw models striding down the catwalk in WLM shirts – seen as a repudiation of the Black Lives Matter movement.
His spokesman Jason Lee quit in protest at the provocative show, writing on Instagram that West was ‘gaslighting black people and empowering white supremacy.’
‘Very humble and thankful to Ye for the opportunity to work with him but that part of our relationship has come to an end,’ he later wrote on his Instagram Story.
Gabriella Karefa-Johnson said the t-shirts were ‘deeply offensive, violent and dangerous’.
West reacted with scorn, ridiculing her outfits online and saying she had no understanding of fashion.
Yet a day later, he insisted Karefa-Johnson was his ‘sister’ and said they had had a two-hour discussion about the issues raised.
Kanye West on Monday caused widespread anger
West is pictured in February with Jason Lee, his spokesman. Lee on Tuesday said he would no longer work with West following the WLM show
Gabriella Karefa-Johnson criticized West’s WLM show, and was then attacked by the rapper
‘GABBY IS MY SISTER,’ the rapper wrote.
‘IM NOT LETTING PEOPLE GO TO BED THINKING I DIDN’T MEET WITH GABRIELLE AT 5 PM TODAY FOR 2 HOURS THEN WE WENT TO DINNER AT FERDIE.’
West said that Vogue editor Anna Wintour asked Australian film director Baz Luhrmann to film their encounter.
‘IT FELT LIKE SHE WAS BEING USED LIKE TREVOR NOAH AND OTHER BLACK PEOPLE TO SPEAK ON MY EXPRESSION,’ said West, who in March was criticized by Noah.
Noah took issue with West’s harassment of his ex-wife Kim Kardashian’s then-boyfriend, Pete Davidson.
West in response called Noah a racial slur, and was banned from Instagram.
West on Tuesday said Karefa-Johnson told him she was not being used by Vogue to speak on their behalf, and condemn the WLM t-shirts.
‘WE APOLOGIZED TO EACH OTHER FOR THE WAY WE MADE EACH OTHER FEEL WE ACTUALLY GOT ALONG AND HAVE BOTH EXPERIENCED THE FIGHT FOR ACCEPTANCE IN A WORLD THAT’S NOT OUR OWN,’ he wrote.
‘SHE DISAGREED I DISAGREED WE DISAGREED.’
West was angered on Monday when the influential stylist said she was deeply troubled by his show.
‘I’m fuming … collecting my thoughts,’ she wrote, labeling West’s actions ‘indefensible behavior.’
She wrote that she was among those who ‘suffered in that room’ and was working through the ‘trauma’ of the experience.
West hits out at Vogue contributing editor Gabriella Karefa-Johnson who called his season 9 collection of YZY ‘offensive’ and ‘violent’
In a mocking tone, West specifically targets Karefa-Johnson’s Timberland boots, which he says Vogue Editor in Chief Anna Wintour ‘HAAAATES’
Karefa-Johnson shared some of her musings of disgust at the YZY season 9 show
She says she understands what West ‘tried to do’ with his most recent collection, but adds that it failed spectacularly and was instead a ‘deeply offensive, violent, and dangerous’ display
The Vogue contributing editor later explained that claiming to understand what West ‘tried to do’ with the collection did not mean she was excusing his behavior
Karefa-Johnson posted a snap of Selah Marley, 23, the daughter of Lauryn Hill and granddaughter of Bob Marley who modeled a shirt with a picture of Pope John Paul II on it that read, ‘Juan Pablo II’
Ye’s final message following a series of targeted attacks at Karefa-Johnson
West in response posted a picture of Karefa-Johnson wearing ensemble, and commented: ‘This is not a fashion person You speak on Ye Ima speak on you Ask Trevor Noah.’
The jab was apparently making reference to Noah speaking out about West’s public behavior, calling it ‘terrifying to watch.’
West then zoomed in on Karefa-Johnson’s boots, which appear to be a limited edition Timberland boot, Black Veneda Carter Edition.
West said Anna Wintour would disapprove, writing: ‘I KNOOOOOOW ANNA HAAAATES THESE BOOTS.’
He shared a screenshot of Karefa-Johnson’s Instagram profile that he captioned: ‘Broke the processor When the computer can’t read the code This is a droid.’
He concluded his posts by sharing the text ‘This means war’ across a black post.
Since the YZY Season 9 show in Paris on Monday, West has posted and deleted a number of messages to his Instagram, including one that read in all capital letters, ‘EVERYONE KNOWS THAT BLACK LIVES MATTER WAS A SCAM NOW ITS OVER YOU’RE WELCOME’ [sic].
Among those also in attendance at the controversial YZY season 9 show was right-wing personality Candace Owens.
West’s appearance with Owens is somewhat surprising, as she recently called his ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, a ‘prostitute’ on her Daily Wire show.
Provocation: Kanye West sparked outrage on Tuesday after dismissing Black Lives Matter, the social movement created to protest social and racial injustices aimed at his own community
Also posing with West was the right-wing commentator Candace Owens, who beamed while wearing a complementary version of the ‘White Lives Matter’ shirt
Karefa-Johnson and Gigi Hadid have worked together a number of times. Karefa-Johnson earlier this year told ELLE that they share a ‘true friendship’
Jason Lee on Monday condemned West for his provocative slogan t-shirts
Supermodel Gigi Hadid was quick to defend Karefa-Johnson against West’s online attacks, writing, ‘You wish u had a percentage of her intellect [sic].’
‘You have no idea haha…. If there’s actually a point to any of your sh*t she might be the only person that could save u. As if the ‘honot’ of being invited to your show should keep someone from giving their opinion ..? Lol. You’re a bully and a joke,’ she added.
Hadid and Karefa-Johnson have worked together in the past, with the stylist telling ELLE earlier this year that she shares a ‘true friendship’ with the model and there is ‘deep respect and trust’ between them.
Actress Jodie Turner-Smith also hit out at Kanye’s latest tirade, sharing on her Instagram Story: ‘I thought he said he was trying to bring people together??? Fake and disgusting and embarrassing please go touch some grass and stop sharing your toxic thoughts.’
Vogue on Tuesday defended Karefa-Johnson.
‘Vogue stands with Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, our global fashion editor at large and longtime contributor. She was personally targeted and bullied. It is unacceptable,’ the magazine wrote in a Tuesday Instagram post.
‘Now more than ever, voices like hers are needed and in a private meeting with Ye today she once again spoke her truth in a way she felt best, on her terms.’
Lee, who only begun working for West this spring, said he could no longer support his former boss.
‘I love Ye as a person, and I support free speech. But this is gaslighting black people and empowering white supremacy. Not sure if he has any friends left to tell him but this is utterly disappointing,’ Lee wrote.
‘I’m going to exercise free speech and say, nobody black has ever said that white lives don’t matter. But when black people do this it just screams the need for white validation.’
He also condemned West’s invitation to Owens.
‘Not to mention, adding Candace Owens to this photo is beyond reprehensible.
‘I understand he believes in her right to free speech but her speech is typically embedded in self hate, a determination to promote white supremacy, and she lacks integrity.
‘This is sad.’
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