Kanye West insisted on Tuesday that he had no problem with Vogue’s contributing fashion editor, despite mocking her the day before when she expressed concern over his ‘White Lives Matter’ fashion show.
West, 45, caused a stir with Monday’s show in Paris, where models walked down the catwalk in WLM shirts – seen as a rejection of the Black Lives Matter movement.
His publicist Jason Lee quit in protest of the provocative show, writing on Instagram that West was ‘throwing up black people and reinforcing white supremacy.’
“Very humbled and grateful 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 responded with derision, 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 sparked widespread outrage on Monday
West is pictured in February with Jason Lee, his spokesman. Lee said Tuesday that he would no longer work with West after the WLM show
Gabriella Karefa-Johnson criticized West’s WLM show and was then attacked by the rapper
‘GABBY IS MY SISTER’, wrote the rapper.
‘I DON’T LET PEOPLE GO TO BED THINKING I’M NOT MEETING GABRIELLE AT 17 TODAY FOR 2 HOURS, THEN WE WENT TO DINNER AT FERDIE.’
West said Vogue editor Anna Wintour asked Australian film director Baz Luhrmann to film their meeting.
‘IT FEELS LIKE SHE WAS USED LIKE TREVOR NOAH AND OTHER BLACKS TO TALK ABOUT MY EXPRESSION,’ said West, who was criticized by Noah in March.
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 said Tuesday that Karefa-Johnson told him she was not being used by Vogue to speak on their behalf and is condemning the WLM t-shirts.
‘WE APOLOGIZED TO EACH OTHER FOR THE WAY WE MADE EACH OTHER FEEL THAT WE ACTUALLY CAME TOGETHER AND THAT WE BOTH EXPERIENCED THE STRUGGLE FOR ACCEPTANCE IN A WORLD THAT IS NOT OUR OWN,’ he wrote.
‘SHE DISAGREED I DISAGREED WE DISAGREED.’
West became angry on Monday when the influential stylist said she was deeply concerned about his show.
“I’m shaking … collecting my thoughts,” she wrote, calling West’s actions “indefensible behavior.”
She wrote that she was among those who ‘suffered in that room’ and worked through the ‘trauma’ of the experience.
West lashes out at Vogue contributing editor Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, who called her Season 9 collection by YZY ‘offensive’ and ‘violent’
In a mocking tone, West specifically targets Karefa-Johnson’s Timberland boots, saying Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour ‘HAAAATES’
Karefa-Johnson shared some of her disgusted musings at the YZY Season 9 show
She says she understands what West was ‘trying to do’ with his latest collection, but adds that it failed spectacularly and was instead a ‘deeply offensive, violent and dangerous’ display
Vogue’s contributing editor later explained that claiming to understand what West was ‘trying to do’ with the collection did not mean she was excusing his behavior
Karefa-Johnson posted a photo of Selah Marley, 23, daughter of Lauryn Hill and granddaughter of Bob Marley, modeling a shirt with a picture of Pope John Paul II that read “Juan Pablo II”
Ye’s final message follows a series of targeted attacks on Karefa-Johnson
In response, West posted a photo of Karefa-Johnson wearing the ensemble and commented: ‘This is not a fashion person You talk about Ye Ima speak on you Ask Trevor Noah.’
The jab was apparently referring to Noah speaking out about West’s public behavior, calling it ‘horrifying to watch.’
West then zoomed in on Karefa-Johnson’s boots, which appear to be a limited edition Timberland boot, the Black Veneda Carter Edition.
West said Anna Wintour would decline, writing: ‘I KNOW ANNA HAAAATES THESE BOOTS.’
He shared a screenshot of Karefa-Johnson’s Instagram profile, which he wrote: ‘Break the processor when the computer can’t read the code This is a droid.’
He ended 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 series of messages on his Instagram, including one that read in all caps: ‘EVERYBODY KNOWS BLACK LIVES MATTER WAS A FAITH NOW IT’S OVER YOU ARE WELCOME ‘ [sic].
Among those who also participated in 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 rejecting Black Lives Matter, the social movement created to protest social and racial injustices against his own community
Also posing with West was 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 several times. Karefa-Johnson told ELLE earlier this year that they share a ‘genuine 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 you had a percentage of her intellect [sic].’
‘You have no idea, haha… If there is actually a point to any of your shit, she might be the only person who could save you. As if the ‘honour’ of being invited to your show should deter anyone from voicing their opinion..? Laugh out loud. You are a bully and a joke,” she added.
Hadid and Karefa-Johnson have previously worked together, with the stylist telling ELLE earlier this year that she shares a ‘genuine friendship’ with the model and that 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 touch some grass and stop sharing your poisonous thoughts.’
Vogue defended Karefa-Johnson on Tuesday.
‘Vogue stands with Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, our global fashion editor and longtime contributor. She was personally targeted and bullied. This 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 again spoke her truth in a way she felt most comfortable with, on her terms.”
Lee, who only started working for West this spring, said he could no longer support his former boss.
‘I love Ye as a person and I support freedom of speech. But this is gaslighting black people and strengthening white supremacy. Not sure if he has any friends left to tell him but this is totally disappointing,’ Lee wrote.
‘I will exercise free speech and say, no black person 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 picture is beyond reprehensible.
‘I understand that he believes in her right to free speech, but her speech is typically embedded in self-loathing, a willingness to promote white supremacy, and she lacks integrity.
‘This is sad.’