Key Takeaways
- Kim Kardashian says Kanye West "absolutely changed" her life by recognizing her potential and giving her confidence.
- Ye introduced Kardashian to high fashion, overhauled her wardrobe with designers like Givenchy and Tom Ford, and pushed for her invitations to the Met Gala and Vogue.
- The former couple began dating in 2012, married in 2014, share four children, and finalized their divorce in November 2022.
Kim Kardashian has taken some time to reflect on the impact her relationship with Kanye West had on her.
In an excerpt from Jonathan Van Meter's upcoming book, Citizen Kim: The Woman Who Created the Future, published by The Cut ahead of its October 27 release, Kardashian reflected on how Ye saw potential in both their relationship and his music.
"I realize that he loves, like, a project, right?" Kardashian told Van Meter. "I think he really fell in love with the idea of me, and the project behind it all. He loves things that maybe aren't cool and 'I'm going to make them cool.' Whether it's, like, 'I’m going to stop rapping and do a whole singing album, like 808s [& Heartbreak].' And everyone’s like, 'How could you not rap? It's blasphemy!' And then it’s the best album."
She continued: "I think he's like, 'Let me be with a reality star. No one respects it. I’m going to show you how cool it is.' He changed my life. He absolutely changed my life."
Kardashian and Ye began dating in April 2012 before tying the knot two years later.
In the excerpt from the book, Van Meter notes that early in their relationship, Kanye West sent in a team of stylists who cleared out her closet, leaving shoes piled up to the ceiling and replacing her wardrobe with high-fashion designers like Givenchy, Tom Ford, and Lanvin.
"I just didn’t know anything about high fashion. There were all these fashion books piled up. It was time to get to work and learn," Kardashian told the author. "He gave me so much confidence."
Ye then actively championed her cultural legitimacy, calling Anna Wintour to secure her plus-one spot at the 2013 Met Gala and lobbying for her Vogue cover, with her friend Tracy Romulus noting that "he fought for Kim’s place there."
The former couple share four children together: North, 13, Saint, 10, Chicago, eight, and seven-year-old Psalm.
Kardashian filed for divorce from Ye in 2021, and it was finalized in November 2022.
