Kanye did it again. By the time you read these lines, you’ll have stumbled upon a hundred pictures of Kim K. And if you’re still wondering how a Kardashian “breaking the internet” is out of the norm, you missed the catch. The images are actually recreated op-eds of Kim, featuring influencers and IG models. They flooded social media simultaneously. The stunt that launched the Yeezy Season 6, is more than a trend, it settles Kanye’s genius. Here is how Kanye West changed the game.
Video courtesy of: @KimKanyeKimYeFC (twitter)
When Kanye wanted to break into the fashion world, it was seen as another lunatic endeavor. When he exposed the discrimination and the elitism in the industry, it was yet another Kanye rant. And despite the muffled props and the vocal critics, Yeezy lives to see another season. However, this sixth campaign is an ironical synthesis of Kanye’s journey as a fashion designer.
While his signature shoes are streetwear favorites and his fashion shows sell out concert arenas, the public still questions the relevancy of Yeezy in fashion (How Sway? How?)
Yes, Kanye is a hypebeast icon, and his fanbase of aficionados praises anything Kanye related (I am myself a victim of such predicament). Yes, this is yet another season of monochromatic looks for Yeezy. Yes, Kim Kardashian is again the muse (rightfully so indeed). And yes, to any other generic critiques about the brand and its creator. We know them all. Kanye does too.
The minimalistic designs are redundant and easy? So is the Yeezy Season 6 campaign! No billboard, no promotional videos, just a bunch of pictures simply posted on the internet, over and over again. Easy and redundant.
The brand owes its success to mainstream push? Well, the chosen ambassadors are social media influencers such as Paris Hilton, and Jordyn Woods.
The aesthetic is those of online stores rather than haute couture houses you say? The models are not the traditional high fashion icons, but rather Instagram models.
Yeezy is not runaway material and should stay a streetwear reference ? The photo- recreations were taken at parking spaces, McDonald’s sidewalks, and random everyday locations. No runaway, the street was the scene.
The collections are the roughly the same and Kim ‘s paparazzi ops are calculated promos? Kim is the muse of the collection, and her stolen paparazzi pictures serve the purpose of the clone campaign.
That’s the genius of the Yeezy Season 6 campaign. Kanye took the criticism and turned it into a blueprint for advertising. All of the flaws of the brand are what made the campaign a trending success. The idea is groundbreaking — the branding behind it challenges the limits of emotional marketing. The magnitude of this promo is beyond fashion, it will inspire a new lane for creatives and for outcasts.
Kanye West proves he is the Midas of Hip-Hop. Whether you like him or not, everything he touches turns into gold. Production, rap, creative directorship, label management, artist’s endorsement – you name it. His resume is a testimony to his versatility. And with the latest campaign for the Yeezy Season 6, he proves once again his genius.