A History of Kanye West's Obsession With Fashion in Kanye West GIFs

An animated look at the fashion icon's rise to prominence.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Since bursting onto the scene with his 2004 debut, Kanye West has taken the hip-hop world by storm, but he soon revealed a second love: fashion. He wasn't always the style icon he is today, and the road that took him there is an interesting one. From his streetwear roots to leather-heavy outfits, couture Margiela masks, A.P.C. collabs, and the upcoming Yeezy Season 2 show, here's a look at A History of Kanye West's Obsession With Fashion in Kanye West GIFs.

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In 2004, Kanye West vows to become the best-dressed rapper while on HBO's Def Poetry Jam.

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Kanye West sets his style apart by wearing rugby shirts and Louis Vuitton backpacks after dropping 2004's The College Dropout.

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By 2006, Kanye's known for his "backpack prep" look: a mixture of bright polos, rugbys, sportcoats, and high-end backpacks.

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But he still embraces streetwear brands like BAPE and LRG.

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2007's "Stronger" video officially makes Venetian sunglasses a trend.

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But he didn't just want to be the "shutter shades guy." It was time for a different look.

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Kanye starts to clean up his look in 2008.

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Plaid suits, bowties, and shades abound with the release of 808s & Heartbreaks album.

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Yeezy experiments with weirder signature styles. His afromullet is immortalized in South Park months later.

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Meanwhile, Kanye debuts his streetwear line, Pastelle, in late 2008 at events like the AMAs.

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In 2009, Kanye West is a bona fide hip-hop style icon, but he wants to take his style to the next level.

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At the 2009 VMAs, Kanye, wearing washed Balmain jeans and a leather shirt, interrupts Taylor Swift, coining the "Kanye Shrug."

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After the VMA incident, Kanye moves to Rome for a spell to intern for Fendi and dive headfirst into FASHION!

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Kanye attends his first Paris fashion week in January 2009. He dubs himself "Martin Louis The King Jr." after he designs kicks for Louis Vuitton.

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That collab leads to his Nike signature sneaker, The Air Yeezy, in April 2009. It's an instant success.

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Inspired by the high-fashion world, Kanye strives to get clothing right. He scraps his "Pastelle" streetwear line in October 2009.

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2010 becomes the year Yeezy asserts his fashion dominance.

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Dressing up in slim Dior suits and proper shoes, Kanye starts the suited up "Rosewood Movement."

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He releases the visually arresting and awesomely-styled (like this Band of Outsiders tux) "Runaway" short film in October 2010.

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And went on to embrace high-fashion outfits by designers like Phillip Lim during revolutionary performances, like on SNL.

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At Coachella 2011, Kanye establishes himself as a style risk taker in this womens Céline top by his bud Phoebe Philo.

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Kanye and Jay-Z drop Watch The Throne in August 2011. They go on a tour in October, art directed by Givenchy designer Riccardo Tisci.

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In September 2011, a nervous Kanye debuts his first runway collection in Paris.

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It received poor reviews. Kanye couldn't believe it!

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But that didn't matter. Kanye West had become a huge brand anyway.

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Everyone wanted to dress like Kanye. Performing in certain clothes could easily drive up demand and price, like this Versace x H&M varsity at the Victoria's Secret fashion show.

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Kanye drops the Air Yeezy 2 in June 2012.

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It sells out instantly. He ups the ante by designing another fashion collection in the fall.

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His second collection was better received than his first.

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Probably because he learned to not listen to the critics.

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September 2012's Cruel Summer mixtape sees Kanye dress the G.O.O.D. Music crew in goods from Rick Owens, Balmain, and other high-end designers.

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His vision for style and art direction is realized through his G.O.O.D. Music cohorts and seen in videos like 2012's "Mercy."

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Kanye gets heat for wearing his Givenchy kilt at the "12-12-12" concert for Sandy Relief.

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In response, Kanye West asks Getty to remove all images of him wearing a kilt.

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And they listened. Because he's the fashion king.

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And he kept pushing the style envelope, whether he wore head-to-toe leather kits...

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Or couture masks. He kept doing his thing.

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And if you talked about style, he'd embarrass you.

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While he was changing the way guys dress all over the world, he was also turning Kim Kardashian into a fashion plate.

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Naturally, that influence spread to the rest of the Kardashian squad.

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'Ye wasn't done with footwear either. According to Ibn Jasper, he also designed a pair of Giuseppe Zanotti sneakers.

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And if you forgot how much he loved Riccardo Tisci, he rolled through the 2013 Met Gala in Givenchy (with a very pregnant Kim).

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Then, he got legendary fashion photographer Nick Knight to direct the 'Black Skinhead' video.

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“I Am A God” drops, inspired by Hedi Slimane trying to control him at Paris Fashion Week.

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Kanye's first A.P.C collection drops in July 2013—promptly crashing the French label's U.S. website.

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In September 2013, 'Ye calls out "culture vultures" who rip off Pusha T and Virgil Abloh at a 'My Name Is My Name' listening party.

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Kanye's daughter North is born, and by October, she already had a designer wardrobe..

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Kanye continues explaining his fashion industry dreams (and frustrations) on Jimmy Kimmel.

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During a Yeezus Tour performance, Kanye calls out Saint Laurent's Hedi Slimane and Nike's Mark Parker.

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Then he rocked Ralph Lauren, Fear of God, and Visvim in his “Bound 2” video.

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Kanye West formally announces his deal with adidas on NYC's Hot 97 radio show.

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Then he told Sway "YOU AIN'T GOT THE ANSWERS!” and “IT AIN'T RALPH THO”

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In January 2014, Kanye West reveals the second Kanye West x A.P.C. collection.

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BOOM: Kanye West and Kim Kardashian grace the cover of Vogue in April 2014.

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Kanye West and a hot-as-hell post-preganancy Kim return to the Met Gala wearing Lanvin.

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Kanye and Kim host an exclusive pre-wedding brunch at Valentino Garavano’s 17th-century château in Paris.

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On May 24, 2014, KIMYE got hitched. The pair, and North, all wore custom Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci.

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Shortly after, Kanye hits up Italian menswear tradeshow Pitti Uomo to attend the Ermanno Scervino presentation.

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In June, Kanye teaches a fashion class at the L.A. Trade Technical College.

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Then he covered GQ in August 2014, his second cover for the magazine.

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Whoops: Kanye and Kim are booed by photographers for arriving late to the Lanvin show at Paris Fashion Week.

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Kanye makes his love for Haider Ackermann clear by wearing the designer all over Paris Fashion Week.

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Kanye and Kim close out the year by pairing up in the sexy Spring 2015 Balmain campaign.

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Kanye West debuts Yeezy Season 1 at New York Fashion Week on Feb. 12, 2015.

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Kanye and Vic Mensa perform “Wolves” in Yeezy Season 1 gear on Saturday Night Live's 40th Anniversary special.

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Rendezvousing with his idol, 'Ye attends Ralph Lauren's NYFW show wearing head-to-toe RRL.

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In February, Kanye breaks into tears during a Zane Lowe interview, lamenting the loss of legendary fashion teacher Louise Wilson.

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Kanye West raps in “Jukebox Joints” on A$AP Rocky's 'At.Long.Last.A$AP' that “Saint Laurent is [his] Zara.”

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Kanye accepts the “Video Vanguard” award 2015 MTV VMAs. He jokes that he's running for president.

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2020 can't come soon enough.

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