Kanye West has no trouble staying in the spotlight and making sure he is recognized for his contributions, no matter how outrageous, to the world of rap and hip hop. GQ Magazine has thrown Kanye the ultimate compliment by crowning him the most stylish man of 2014.
GQ stands firm on their decision stating, “From bomber jackets to Chelsea boots to over-sized coats, Kanye helped define what this year meant to men in terms of the things they wear, and we think his place as champion in this tournament was earned.”
The Yeezus praise has been earned quite honestly as he and his wife, Kim Kardashian , are always garbed in the latest trends or acting as trail-blazing trendsetters. The couple has recently been recognized for their style by being announced as the face of Balmain’s 2015 Spring/Summer campaign.
All Hip Hop demonstrates no surprise at Kanye being hailed as the most stylish man by GQ.
“There’s no doubt that Kanye West is one of the most fashionable men in hip-hop. When it comes to throwing threads together, you never know what Yeezy has up his Margiela sleeve. Thanks to his keen sense for trends he has snagged quite a few GQ covers.”
It is true, as GQ notes, that since Kanye West “burst onto the scene in pink polo shirts and Louis Vuitton backpacks over a decade ago” he has continued to push the boundaries in more ways than one. He is a fashion icon and is rightly noted for this by the pinnacle of male magazines . West has been featured on the cover of GQ multiple times over the past few years; most recently as The Urban Daily recognizes, “for a feature article about his status in the fashion industry [when he] opened up about previous comments regarding the difficulty he’s encountered breaking in.”
GQ asked Kanye how close he is to a fashion line, a year or five years? The rapper responded honestly.
“It depends. I think the people that are in the positions of power are starting to see or recognize that it’s more than a celebrity thing, it’s more than a music thing, and that there is something there. There’s people who do celebrity lines. It’s what they do. They’ve signed up to sit at a different table and to be in a different business than the people who do high-end lines.”
Take from this what you will. Kanye has been working on collaboration with a number of brands including Nike, A.P.C and now Adidas, and as usual has his ego in check according to what The Urban Daily recounts.
“Alexander Wang made sure that I was able to go to a Balenciaga show, and I was never allowed to do that before because I was a celebrity. Listen to what I’m saying—me, as Kanye West: I guarantee you, I’m more than 50 percent responsible for every men’s shoe that [Balenciaga] sell. Me, the singular person. More than 50 percent responsible for every Balenciaga shoe they sell. And they would say, ‘You can’t come to the show, because you are a celebrity.’ But all honesty, no ego, I have a level of influence, and I have a level of respect for the designers. And we move product on that Barneys floor.”
No ego, Kanye? Really? Well we have to hand it to him, he certainly can put together an ensemble, and most definitely has earned his title as the most stylish man of 2014.
[Feature image courtesy of Booms Beat ]
