Kanye West Launches Luxe Fashion Label

First Published: October 1, 2011 6:33 PM EDT Credit: Getty Images Caption Kanye West acknowledges the applause of the audience after the KW by Kanye West Ready to Wear Spring / Summer 2012 show during Paris Fashion Week at Lycee Henri IV in Paris on October 1, 2011 PARIS, France -- Fashions most famous aficionado, music star Kanye West, turned pro on Saturday with a luxurious hard-edged womens collection that bucked all the stereotypes about celebrity designers. West has been a front-row fixture at fashion shows for years, but industry insiders had greeted news that he was planning to launch a line of his own with a more than hefty dose of skepticism and plenty of barbed quips about how it would surely be Lindsay Lohans leggings line all over again. So, it was with slightly humbled wonder that the fashion editors, stylists and journalists hand-picked to attend Saturdays late-night spring-summer 2012 show greeted the sophisticated, highly designed looks on the catwalk. Sure, West didnt reinvent the wheel: You could see the influence of established designers many of shows he frequented over the years. There was a bit of Balmain in the short, sex-drenched dresses and some Givenchy in the gothic, bondage-y leather jackets and skirts, for example. But luxed-up streetwear elements, like hooded jackets made in a mosaic of crocodile skins, gave the collection a unique voice of its own. The specifics of project remained foggy: The extent of Wests involvement in the actual design remained unclear, as did the identities of those on his design team. But Wests emotional attachment to the brand was clear. Speaking to reporters after the show, the seasoned performer kept repeating Im so scared, Im so nervous. The biggest conversation I hope I can end tonight is whole celebrity designer thing, he said once hed managed to collect himself. Thats the biggest hurdle when you want to get amazing people to work for you. Another challenge, he added, was figuring out who to work with. The fashion industry is notoriously opaque and often inscrutable for outsiders, even ones as well connected as him. Celebrities (R&B singer Ciara), designers (Joseph Altuzarra, Alexander Wang and Olivier Theyskens) and celebrity designers (the Olsen twins) turned out for Wests show, which was hands-down THE event on Paris spring-summer 2012 calendar. Ciara, defying the stifling weather in a fur stole, said he did a great job. I walked away from this show feeling like I would love to wear this line. There is so much in it thats right up my alley. Especially since for me, its so cool to see someone come from our music world and do something like this. Its really hard, she said a backstage interview. U.S. designer Jeremy Scott concurred. Everyone probably thought it was going to be another like Jennifer Lopezs Macys line and its not, its really clear its not, said Scott, whos known for his kooky, colorful designs. Kanye has impeccable taste and you see his taste level is up there. Hes a fan of design across the board. I have five-hour long conversations with him all the time about everything because hes so obsessed, and I think we got a little bit of an insight into his mind there. Held in a high school in southern Paris, Saturdays show drew a thick crowd of star-struck celebrity watchers who snapped their cell phone cameras at literally anything that moved. Some of the students who board at the school watched the guests file in from the other side of what looked like old-school prison bars and begged passers-by their invitations as souvenirs. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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