Kanye West Reveals Fashion Plans in 13-Hour Twitter Rant
When the famously outspoken rapper took to the Twittersphere to “clarify a few things” about his clothing line on January 4, the fashion world paid attention.
Over the course of 13 hours (yes, you read that correctly!), West went on an epic rant from his Twitter page, offering thoughts on everything from his eponymous fashion line to the flawed—in his opinion—education system to his new business venture, DONDA.
First things first: “The name of the line is Kanye West not DW... The Dw was a design element placed on the invite in homage to my mom : ),” he tweeted, explaining that the recently launched Twitter page, @dwbykanye (now suspended), was a fake.
“You guys might think I have some type of backing for my line but I don't. I did the first fashion show out of my own pocket and used the money I made touring to follow my passion. I've been working at this for 8 years now ...from the first offers to do urban clothing lines that I turned down... To begging Bape to do my line and never making any real headway... To having an office in LA that was shut down after the "MTV" moment along with my tour with GAGA.”
West went on to describe his myriad fashion projects including interning at Fendi, working with Louis Vuitton, turning down a job offer at Versace, secretly working with Giuseppe Zanotti, and designing sneakers with Nike.
He then goes on to talk about his move to Paris, where he had a hard time getting off the ground due to the “language barrier” and tax issues related to the VAT, or value added tax. “I don't know what a VAT [is] but every time I asked why we didn't have fabrics they said... it was because of the VAT.”
“In Paris I met many great people in design including the master Azzedine Alaia... Azzedine even came by my studio one day : ))),” he continued. “This was the greatest feeling to stand in his presence in my embarrassingly small Paris studio in a courtyard opposite Collate [sic].”
The 2011 Victoria's Secret Show performer then describes his conflict about fame in the music industry, saying that what he really wants to do is “help people” by “doing what I know how to do best .. create.”
Enter West’s new business venture, DONDA.
“I have started a new company and I'm so excited about the name.... it's got the best name ever of all companies of all time!!!," he tweeted. "DONDA is a design company which will galvanize amazing thinkers and put them in a creative space to bounce there [sic] dreams and ideas... I am assembling a team of architects, graphic designers, directors musicians, producers, AnRs, writers, publicist, social media experts... app guys, managers, car designers, clothing designers, DJs, video game designers, publishers, tech guys, lawyers, bankers, nutritionists ... doctors, scientist [sic], teachers... DONDA will be comprised of over 22 divisions with a goal to make products and experiences that people want and can afford.”
Still not sure exactly what DONDA is about? Simple: “We want to help simplify and aesthetically improve everything we see, hear, touch, taste and feel,” West tweeted.
Examples of the “Donda Experience” include West’s Watch the Throne tour, a vague, “semi sci-fi” project called “2016 Olympics,” and a goal to design the MTV Awards. (Our prediction there? Beyoncé wins every award.)
“We need to pick up where Steve Jobs left off,” he continued. “We need to take what Michael Jackson felt and [Alexander] Mcqueen and Steve Jobs and we need make things better... I sit everyday and ask what can I do to make a difference.”
West ends his tweetathon (91 to be exact!) on an intellectual note with a quote from George Bernard Shaw. “If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange these apples then you and I will still each have one apple… But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas.”
This Jack of all trades, on the other hand, has several ideas.
In related news, check out what the critics had to say about Kayne West's Paris Fashion Week début.
