Kanye West is in the middle of a significant manic episode. It should be emphasized: Kanye’s bipolar disorder is not the reason why he’s suddenly saying racist, bigoted and anti-Semitic crap, but it’s a factor. What’s unique about this moment is that this time, Kanye has alienated almost everyone “on his side,” the people who normally would have looked out for him and gotten him some help, or enabled him in various ways. Kim Kardashian has cut her ties with him. So has Donald Trump. Reportedly, Kanye’s team is scattered, and he’s already fired several of his closest associates. Now we’re coming to the point where Kanye will be paying for this financially and culturally for years to come. Last week, Balenciaga severed ties with him.
Balenciaga has severed its ties with Ye. Following the publication of its third-quarter results on Thursday, parent company Kering said the French fashion house would no longer be working on projects with the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, who has made increasingly controversial public comments in recent weeks, including anti-Semitic threats.
“Balenciaga has no longer any relationship nor any plans for future projects related to this artist,” Kering said in a response to a query from WWD. It did not elaborate further.
The “Stronger” singer opened Balenciaga’s summer 2023 show, held in a mud pit during Paris Fashion Week, wearing what looked like battle gear, including a branded mouthguard shielding his teeth. The image has been removed from Balenciaga’s website.
Keep in mind, Balenciaga was fine with collaborating with Kanye following his “slavery was a choice” sh-t and after his MAGA meltdowns and his 2020 ratf–ker political campaign. The anti-Kanye thing is a bandwagon too, just like the pro-Kanye thing was for years. Still, it’s notable that people are finally acknowledging that lines have been crossed and there’s no coming back. Anna Wintour apparently feels the same way:
A Vogue spokesperson told Page Six exclusively on Friday that neither the magazine nor its editor-in-chief Anna Wintour intend to work with Kanye West again after his anti-Semitic rants and support for the White Lives Matter cause.
Wintour, 72, has had a long and close relationship with the rapper-turned-designer, 45. She first invited him to her annual Met Gala in 2009 before featuring him and now-ex-wife Kim Kardashian on the cover in 2014 after their wedding. Just last month, Wintour modeled the Yeezy founder’s new sunglasses line in press images sent out to promote the shades — even after he publicly bullied Kardashian online about their children.
And then on Oct. 4, Wintour sent her longtime close pal, Baz Luhrmann, to film the reconciliation between West and one of her editors, Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, after he mocked her fashion sense because she criticized him for wearing a White Lives Matter T-shirt at his Paris fashion show.
But on Friday, sources told us the fashion royal is finally ready to cut the Grammy winner loose after he made a series of stunning threats against Jewish people, and then aggressively doubled down on them after he was given the opportunity to apologize.
“Anna has had enough,” an insider told us, adding, “She has made it very clear inside Vogue that Kanye is no longer part of the inner circle.”
Wintour’s pro-Kanye stance also lasted too long – she should have been out of Kanye’s camp years ago, but better late than never. I do wonder about all of these fashion people though, and whether their newfound rejection of Kanye will be reversed in six months. We’ll see.
Meanwhile, another piece of Kanye news: he’s hired two new lawyers, one for his long-running divorce and one for his business interests. He hired Camille Vasquez for his business – some people might remember her as Johnny Depp’s lawyer, when Depp sued Amber Heard. He will likely need a bigger legal team because George Floyd’s family is now suing Kanye for the statements he made, lying about Floyd’s death/murder. Kanye hired Bob Cohen as his latest divorce lawyer – Cohen represented Melinda Gates in her divorce. The revolving door of divorce lawyers has been an interesting sideshow – clearly, no self-respecting divorce lawyer wants to stick with Kanye, given what he’s saying about and doing to Kim.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
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- Thousand Oaks, CA – Controversial rapper Kanye West appears to be in a bad mood while arriving at his daughter North’s basketball game in Thousand Oaks. It was recently announced that Balenciaga would be severing ties from Kanye after his recent offensive statements! Pictured: Kanye West BACKGRID USA 21 OCTOBER 2022 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Thousand Oaks, CA – Controversial rapper Kanye West is all smiles as he exits his daughter North’s basketball game in Thousand Oaks. It was recently announced that Balenciaga would be severing ties with Kanye after his recent offensive statements! Pictured: Kanye West BACKGRID USA 21 OCTOBER 2022 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Los Angeles, CA – Kanye West stops to chat with the paparazzi and sign autographs as he exits his daughter North’s basketball game in Thousand Oaks. Pictured: Kanye West BACKGRID USA 21 OCTOBER 2022 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Los Angeles, CA – Kanye West stops to chat with the paparazzi and sign autographs as he exits his daughter North’s basketball game in Thousand Oaks. Pictured: Kanye West BACKGRID USA 21 OCTOBER 2022 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
Anna gets no kudos from me. She should’ve cut ties a long time ago. The fact that she continued to support him after he attacked one of her employees is inexcusable.
ITAWY! Plus, Kaiser’s photo array today, as usual, tells a story, doesn’t it? Like, how is this person accepted in the fashion world, at all??!!
So Kanye saying that slavery was a choice wasn’t enough to severe ties? Okay Anna and Balenciaga, keep showing how little you care about Black Americans history, hardship and tortured history. I’ll be honest, I haven’t f*caked with Vogue since Kim was on the cover. Not one dime has been spent by me.
@amy
It’s the same Anna wintour who has been messy until the end with ALT, and help puting back the ex mrs weinstein on the map, enabling notorious male photographers with Serious sexual abuse allegations…
She ‘s at ease with racism and misoginy relating to others, even discriminated against fashion fallen friends and lessers allies and collaborators.
But she would never jeopardize her own work and money status and supporting antisemism with a jewish conde nast owner family is absolute career suicide.
This not AW first rodeo with winking at antisemitism, you forget Maison Mariegella ..John galliano. .. he lost his job but came back and lots of big names still wear his new label. His anti semitism was blamed on alcohol
Completely agree. I think once it became apparent this could hurt Vogue’s Botton-line, and therefore her own bottom-line, she decided to cut ties. Then and only then. Shameful really.
Oh my goodness, he looks just awful in those pictures. Is it part of his mental health conditions to look like he is homeless and in dire need of a shower? His brand is going to suffer if his business collaborators are cutting ties with him.
MTE. I can practically smell the unwashed clothes. I hate to pile on like that but if people are distancing themselves from him, who is taking care of him? The problem is someone needs to be looking out for him, but it’s not a great position to be in.
Who what now?
He’s a grown ass man. He has unlimited resources to help himself, & for decades now has refused.
Take care of him infantilizes his entire life situation & low key absolves him of responsibility for his actions.
He IS taking care of himself, as he wants to. This is who he is.
He’s probably firing/slandering anyone who objwcts to his behavior.
@Kokiri – Have you ever had an adult in your life who doesn’t have the executive functioning skills to care for themself? That’s what we’re very likely seeing here. You also see many unhoused individuals who were “grown ass adults” afflicted by mental illness without resources or family support. Kanye probably won’t end up like that because he’s wealthy but he may end up hospitalized. There’s very real chance he’s a danger to himself or others.
Kanye has been dressing like this for years. It’s his “brand.”
@ Betty rose
But he IS functioning. He’s functioning just fine. Just because what he’s saying is truly horrifying doesn’t mean he isn’t functioning.
His executive function skills are working.
People need to stop attributing his behaviour to mental illness, lack of support, or his loss of control.
This is who he is. Perhaps he is in a manic state, so he’s more verbal outward with his thoughts.
But this is who he is & has been for years. He’s not spiralling, he’s emboldened. He’s been unchecked by society for years & thinks he’s untouchable. And he’s right, he is.
The fact that he has had a multitude of people to help him over the years? And they are now leaving? That’s not mental illness.
He’s a racist, misogynistic pos & always has been.
So no, he doesn’t need people to take care of him. He’s HAD people doing that and yet here we are. Why?
Because he’s a pos & always has been.
He’s not a genius. He’s an asshole.
It can be. People often stop paying attention to hygiene when they’re in a mental health crisis.
Believe it or not but that hoodie he is wearing is brand new and it comes looking like that. It’s supposed to look old. He thinks he’s a fashion genius remember? I think he even said something about how he is using the homeless as inspiration.
Also, anyone who is just now “cancelling” Kanye gets no pat on the back from me. He’s been a problem for years. He has said lots of horrible things for years. They had no issue with him until now ? Ok.
I was wondering what he painted while wearing the hoodie. And the fashionistas had to have him pried from their cold, dead hands? Adidas is apparently still on board.
Was it recently that he said he was inspired by the homeless? Because “homeless chic” has been around for quite a while. Now I think it’s called poverty chic, but it was also poor chic and hobo chic.
@BrassyRebel
this is what Ye has to say about Adidas I guess he figures they’ll happily lean into the Nazi beliefs of Adidas founders. Oddly, Adidas is the only major brand of sports shoes/gear that doesn’t support the GOP
It’s like his fashion inspiration is Derelicte By Mugatu
Mugatu: Let me show you Derelicte. It is a fashion, a way of life inspired by the very homeless, the vagrants, the crack whores that make this wonderful city so unique.
Zoolander was such a perfect parody of the fashion world.
Kaiser, thank you for acknowledging at the top that Kanye is in the middle of a manic episode. It is infuriating to see places like TMZ just avoid the topic all together and cover his breakdown anyway.
Adding to your accurate comment: At this point any person or company who ignores his maniacal behavior is enabling him like the Republican Party and Fox News.
100%
Yes, this is honestly really sad and scary to see. When I saw the headlines about him leaking his own kids’ school address, wanting to build a commune, etc, all I could think about was his mania and delusions of grandeur and how badly he could harm himself and others.
…aaand he apparently told Piers Morgan that Quentin Tarantino stole the idea of Django Unchained from him, after he pitched a slavery-themed video for “Gold Digger” to Jamie Foxx.
I can’t even imagine what his kids are feeling, seeing their father behave like this. “Scared and confused” probably doesn’t even begin to cover it.
That means the lawsuits against him are just beginning. He has defamed Tarantino (who I don’t like but accusing someone of stealing the rights is defamatory), Adidas (he said they stole the design for his stupid sandals), Drake, Pete Davidson (called him a herion addict while he is trying to build a movie career) Jamie Foxx, the kids’ school, and Kim. And that’s just for starters. Ms. Vasquez is going to pine for her freewheeling easy days of representing Johnny Depp.
Hopefully Kim and Laura Wasser have decided to go for full custody, no public talking about Kim or the kids, and CLOSELY supervised visitation, billed to Kanye of course. He should also have to reimburse for the extra security for the school since he broadcast the name. Who puts their own kids in danger like that?
FWIW yes, I realize he is bipolar, but this is something else. He wants control and he’s pissed that he cannot control others.
Actually? What’s worse is that they’re probably used to it. People often think that means it hurts less — it doesn’t. It means you have to work incredibly hard to realize it’s not normal.
This just shows you that for many powerful people, anti-Black racism can be seen as an inconvenience, but antisemitism is a total nonstarter. There are a lot of crude and nasty presumptions that go into that logic, often centering around the supposed “buying power” of the demo being abused. Basically they see Black people as “poor” and think their animosity won’t hurt the bottom line as much. They see Jewish people as “rich”, and while that created its own bigotry they will at least try to ensure that the very wealthiest Jewish people (often the most Conservative and illiberal) are kept happy.
Adelson was who everyone keeps claiming Soros is, in a nutshell.
Accurate. Disturbingly so.
Yup. Kanye’s anti blackness has been on full display for years. Same with his mysogyny. But the Anna Wintours of the world were fine with it.
This. Of course antisemitism is deeply wounding for me, but nothing Kanye has said about us is worse than his comments on slavery, so why the different response? It’s very upsetting. Also I hope it sticks and people stop giving him money.
A sad truth. But @Dee you are telling the truth right here.
What the hell did he say about George Floyd?! (Don’t answer that, I truly don’t want to know). Hope the family wins their suit.
And I hope his children are somehow being shielded from the worst of it, although it’s impossible from the school-aged kids I guess.
With the kid’s mom and her family being who they are, fame whores, those kids will never get a break. It’s abuse. From both parents. Due to their parent’s wealth we have to just all sit by and watch the abuse. It’s sickening.
That George died from drugs and the police foot was not on his neck.
Holy crap!?! He said that? That’s worse than I imagined
All I got for this is why is Kanye wearing those horrible boots that look like he should be mucking out stalls in a barn? I’m no fashionista but wouldn’t a nice pair of Dr. Martens look better?
Dahhhling, they’re BALENCIAGA!
Only the best gardeners and stablehands have them!
He’s been wearing them since last summer when he was on his revenge/make Kim jealous tour. (Too bad it didn’t work)
They’re basically the world’s most expensive crocs. Know what Tan France says about crocs? That people who wear plastic shoes are “unfcukable”
So he’s clearly dug his own fashion grave here! After years of trying.
(That said, I don’t agree with Tan. Some croc wearers are indisputably hot! But not this dude.)
The problem with recognising and rejecting racist, homophobic, and anti-Semitic fashion houses/designers, is where do you start? There would hardly be anyone left.
Ferragamo’s racist and homophobic work environment? Dolce and Gabana’s homophobic rants? Prada’s blackface figurines? Tommy Hilfiger saying he doesn’t make clothes for black people? Galliano’s anti-Semitic comments? He’s actually been convicted of anti-Semitism in France.
There are so many more and all of these have played out in the media.
All of this. These people are fine being racist, homophobic and anti-black. It’s him. He’s the proverbial black eye because he’s all of that and anti-Semitic. That’s a bridge too far.
Well John Galliano recently had a big spread in Vogue UK showing his home in France so it just seems to be a matter of how long the time out lasts (if you’re ever taken out at all – see the other examples you’ve listed).
The Tommy Hilfiger one is an urban legend that has been disproved repeatedly. Just look it up.
Tommy Hilfiger is on record saying that he was always inspired by street style, and that he felt very honored when he started seeing his stuff worn by the kids on the street. So I would be very surprised to see actual receipts of him saying racist crap. Are there any? If so, let’s see them.
Yeah the urban legend says he said it to Oprah but it started in the 90s, Oprah is on record saying he hadn’t been on her show at all until 2007 where they both said this story wasn’t true, he even hired FBI investigators to get to the bottom of who started the rumor but they couldn’t find the culprit.
I do not want to wish harm on this man, but I really need him to crash and burn figuratively or literally. This has been going on for YEARS…years of having to hear him flip flop on supporting Black people or not, years of him asking for support from specifically Black communities (only to insult us later on), years of him being absolutely abusive to others when he doesn’t get his way and superficially, years of hearing that he is an artistic genius. I’m over it. I’m over the psychological abuse he inflicts on us. I’m over his insistence to not medicate his mental illness.
AND I will say this over and over…How could we POSSIBLY accept putting Britney Spears or Wendy Williams in conservatorship and NO ONE can take the reins in Kanye’s case?
This! Well said, Lemons.
Agreed, so well said, Lemons!
people confuse being “edgy” and controversial with art and genius.
he’s not in a conservatorship because he has no family. and he has alienated everyone who has attempted to help him. he doesn’t want help.
this is very typical with mania.
mania convinces you that you are the smartest person around and that your every thought is some sort of genius insight. it’s a helluva drug!
you literally cannot question (much less argue with) anything someone in a manic period says or thinks. because it is a delusion. they fully believe everything they think. it’s really hard to deal with.
he needs to get professional help, but he’ll never do it.
A few years ago, Kim straight up said they couldn’t force anything upon him. Unless Kanye does something bad enough to get himself hospitalized involuntarily or jailed, it’s unlikely anyone can step in, and wasn’t that how Britney was trapped into conservatorship? I forget exactly what the tipping point was…the shaved head meltdown?
@Jennifer – I think they trapped her into thinking she had to barricade herself in her bathroom with one of her babies just when her ex husband was coming to get them home once her visitation was over. After that she was taken to a hospital against her will and the C was put in place.
@Lemons – 100% agreed! Thank you!
They will absolutely redeem him in due course. It’s the same thing that happened with John Galliano. Fired by Dior for anti-Semitism (only because it was caught on tape) but now flourishing at Maison Margiela.
And getting glowing write-ups in Vogue UK.
JG is a genius, an absolute genius, yet he is anti-semitic! in a way, I’ve always known that his genius will get him a come back; he is too good and the people around him will make sure nothing he says ever gets out again! unfortunately that’s reality
These people were ok to look the other way when Ye was being racist against people who look like him….the dumping him now is more like a bandwagon than anything else! let’s see how long it lasts; it will be a case of “I was sick that’s why I said all the dumb shit ….he will be forgiven and accepted by the same people; let’s wait and see”
This man needs a conservatorship, stat!
Sadly, it won’t happen because he’s a man. Secondly, he has no parents or family who could step in and force him to get help. Thirdly, he only has staff and sycophants in this life and as a result, he’ll continue to spiral.
Guess we will just have to wait for his pending 5150…
Men don’t get conservatorships. They seem to be reserved for women.
Yup, and it really pisses me off!!!
For many people, antiBlackness is natural and acceptable. They’re totally comfortable with racism. But anti-Semitism is a step too far.
Yes–having Kanye in their orbit gave cover for their own anti-Blackness. He’s going to learn the hard way that certain people’s appreciation for his “genius” stops when he’s not exclusively targeting Black people.
ABOUT EFFING TIME!!
Kaiser is correct, Ye’s bipolar disorder is not the reason he is saying racist, bigoted, and anti-semitic rants. The bipolar disorder is, however, revealing who he is. Racist, bigoted, and anti-semitic views are not caused by any mental illness. But, such an illness can take the brakes off of any self-censorship of such views. These vile perspectives are part of Ye, the bipolar is simply revealing the racist and bigot that he has always been. If he wasn’t a racist and a bigot, his mental illness would manifest itself very differently.
Interesting insight. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Vogue, a magazine that promotes female images, should have cut ties with Kanye long ago, but capitalism reigns supreme. Ana tends to respond slowly to negative behaviors because her focus is the almighty dollar. However, better late than never. My criticism of Balenciaga is the same as that of Vogue.
I agree his bipolar disorder is part of the problem, but it’s a minute part. Rap has a history of using lyrics to disrespect women and culture, promote the use of weapons, and flaunt wealth. Rappers changed the ending from ‘er to ‘as of the N-word, which made it acceptable. Women lost their identity and became ‘bi#*^h”. When Kanye entered the music world, it was already corrupt, so it was easy to ignore his mental deficiencies. He quickly became labeled a genius, and women were lining up. I’ve never known him to show a woman respect. He thinks it’s all about the benjamins.
Is his lawyer, Bob Cohen, Jewish?
Kim knew Kanye was a piece of work long before the public, and she rode that wave of publicity, popularity, and accumulated wealth. She was part of the Donald Trump image scheme too. What happened to free females unfairly imprisoned? Why she continued to have babies for him, I don’t understand.
He is one multi-millionaire I would enjoy seeing fall from grace. He’s working hard at it; karma should grant him that wish.
I bet he’ll side with Putin and justify Ukranian genocide next.
I recall thinking he needed help after hearing about his manic episode at a concert in Paris over a decade ago – he was performing on a raised column and ranted how incredible he was to the audience. The necessary assistance didn’t happen then, and people kept making money off him as he became nuttier and nuttier. Right now, looking at these photos, I see a similarity with KW and the mentally ill people living on the streets of San Francisco. His outrageous and utterly offensive comments are consistent with the mentally ill people who scream in public. Media coverage of this man seems very exploitative somehow, but what do I know…
Just now they’re cutting ties? So they supported all his other bullsh!t, but this was the final straw? Why are we even paying attention to these people.
Rats will only flee the ship once it starts to sink.
Adidas still hasn’t cut ties with him. I just read that the two brothers who started the company were German Nazi Party members who did business with the Nazis in the 1930’s.
I was just coming in here to ask about Adidas… had nooo idea that the brothers who started the company were Nazi party members. Wow!
Long overdue. He’s a sick man and should not be encouraged.