Image via Complex Original
Love it or hate it, Kanye West's influence on how men dress today is undeniable, and while you personally may not be running around in a kilt, or wearing leather from head to toe, it would be tough to not notice the Kanye-ification of young men's wardrobes worldwide.
He's changed the climate of menswear in many ways, and all you need to do is look at any celebrity. Pop-stars, actors, and of course rappers, all look a little 'Ye-ed out. But it's not just celebrities that emulate Kanye's dress code—it's trickled down to the masses and that's because Kanye didn't get here overnight. Most guys can relate to the fact that you have to grow into your style.
From the days when he was rocking bow-ties with denim jackets and Lego brooches, to when he was on his suit and tie shit before Jay-Z and Justin, to now only rocking things fresh off the runway, here's How Men's Style Would Be Different Without Kanye West.
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Masks Wouldn't Look so Cool
Leave it up to Yeezy to turn a balaclava into a fashion statement by rocking one on the streets of Paris. He also killed the stage at Revel Nightclub in Atlantic City, NJ, in couture masks from Maison Martin Margiela's Artisanal Collection runway show, and had the Internet buzzing.
G.O.O.D. Music Wouldn't Be a Fashion Powerhouse
Where would this crew be without their fearless, leather-loving leader? When the "Mercy" video dropped last summer, the two main reactions were, "Holy shit, this video is sick!" and "Holy shit, everyone's dressed like Kanye!" If Kanye had never come along, Common would still be in his newsboy caps and waistcoats, Big Sean would be rocking bright, pastel BAPE gear, and 2Chainz would never have traded in his shawl collar Polo cardigan and bowtie for leather pants and vintage Chanel chainz.
Shutters Would Have Been Just For Your Windows
When Kanye debuted a pair of veiled shades designed by Alain Mikli, the world went nuts, and the shutter shades trend was born. It's not the best trend 'Ye started—who wants sunglasses with no lenses that you can barely see out of? Apparently a lot of people, because they were EVERYWHERE.
Scott Disick Would Not Have a Hood Pass
Scott Disick is known for tailored suits and driving moccasins, so where in the hell does he get off rocking leather pants and Jordans recently? That's because Kanye's style is infectious. If a guy around you is constantly wearing awesome outfits, you would want to get in on the style action too. Scott's in luck, with the Kardashian-West baby on the way, he'll have a blueprint for sick style around him for the rest of his life.
"How Do You Pronounce...?" Would Be a Much More Common Question
Nowadays, there's backlash if a rapper pronounces Givenchy, Balmain, or Louboutin incorrectly in a verse. Pay homage—Yeezy taught you.
An Entire Landscape of Style Blogs Wouldn't Exist
Three years ago you'd be hard pressed to find out what male celebrities were wearing, and honestly nobody cared then either. But when a music powerhouse decides to only wear high-end clothing, the game changes. People want to know what he's wearing, how to get it, and sites specific to Kanye's style continue to document his every look.
Rocking Skirts Wouldn't Be a Thing
Most men don't count skirts as an every day go-to item of clothing, but Kanye saw it fit to hit the stage in his new favorite mid-layer during the Watch The Throne tour, and then again at the 12-12-12 concert for Hurricane Sandy relief. People were abuzz with commentary, but honestly, who wouldn't be tempted to wear a kilt if it was custom designed by Riccardo Tisci? Whether a kilt is your thing or not, it set off a rush for his loyal fans to run out to cop a similar get up—Rick Owens skirt and pants combos sold out everywhere. Street Goth was born.
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Signature Sneakers Would Be for Pro Athletes Only
Before Kanye, no other rapper has ever designed a shoe for a major international sneaker company. Not to mention, he had complete creative control. Us normal folks waited in line for our Jordans while he created the next generation of celebrity cult collectible sneakers. It's impressive that the Air Yeezy even has a second iteration.
All Those Fashion Rap Lyrics on Facebook Twitter Wouldn't Exist
It's as if he writes lyrics for this reason alone.
Rappers Wouldn't Use Fashion as a Crutch
Mentioning high-end labels in raps is not new. Rappers have been rhyming about expensive clothes since the beginning. But never has name dropping designers and associating directly with design houses been so prevalent. Biggie and Tupac were both on Versace before most of today's rappers were even born, but now, many artists are convinced they're fashion experts because they have one or two vintage Versace collectibles.
Fashion Risks Would Be Much More Tame
Normally you wouldn't want to shop for the same piece of clothing as your girl, but when Kanye decided to rock a shirt fresh off the Celine spring/summer '11 runway for Coachella, it made dudes everywhere question whether they would take the same risk. The shirt was dope either way, but the bigger statement is that Kanye says "fuck it" to convention and does whatever he wants. An important fashion/style lesson for us all.
No High/Low Fashion Collab Would Have Achieved Grail Status
Let's be real, the Versace for H&M collection was pretty out there. However, after 'Ye hit the stage at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in the collaboration's varsity jacket, the stores couldn't keep the item on the shelves. If you hop on eBay now, you still can't get one for less than double the selling price, and that is a testament to how many people want to emulate Yeezy's style.
Balenciaga Wouldn't Be Known for Sneakers
If he's not wearing his Air Yeezys or Timberland boots, Kanye is surely rocking a pair of Balenciaga's Arena sneakers. He's got them in every color, and why not? Before he started rocking them, nobody outside of fashion insiders was interested in them. He took a sneaker that was virtually unknown and made them a Tumblr sensation.
Courtside Style Would Not Exist
Spike Lee used to be the only guy peacocking in courtside seats during NBA games, until Kanye came through in his luxury garb like head-to-toe Balmain outfits (the Teddy Jacket became a legendary piece of clothing). He made everyone else feel like peons. Soon after, his brother Jay-Z was seen stepping it up, and dudes like Wayne started competing with 'Ye on the floor as well.
Rosewood Would Just Be a Movie
If you Google image search the word "Rosewood," you'll see images of actual rosewood used to make furniture, artwork from the 1997 motion picture Rosewood starring Ving Rhames, and photos of Kanye's Rosewood Movement, in which the G.O.O.D. Music artists trade in their street clothes for tailored suits and ties. It was a good look. It signified rap was growing up, and even though the "movement" didn't last long, it had a big impact. Justin Timberlake is still making songs about it.
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Fashion Designers Wouldn't Be Creating Album Cover Art
Watch The Throne will go down in history as one of the most epic albums in music history. It should also be remembered because it's the first time a noted fashion designer (Givenchy's Riccardo Tisci) designed album cover art for a hip-hop artist.
Fashion and Rap Would Still Be Church And State
Fashion has always been an exclusive club. While Diddy and Jay-Z have worn designer threads and featured supermodels in their videos, they didn't get hooked up by the fashion world's elite. You've never heard of a designer custom making clothes for a rapper, designing entire tour wardrobes, or seating an emcee front row at a fashion show until Kanye. Another first for Mr. West.
Pharrell Would Still Be Hip-Hop's Reigning Style Icon
Pharrell had little to no competition as the reigning king of style, until Kanye's passion for all things fashion made him a contender for the throne. Shortly after designing his own shoe for Louis Vuitton, a company that Pharrell was closely associated with, Kanye took the helm, and has sat on the top of the game ever since.
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Leather Pants Would Be a Novelty, Not A Full Blown Trend
No one can say that Kanye was the first rapper to wear leather pants. Kool Moe D hit it first, Dapper Dan made them popular in Harlem, and then Diddy brought it back in '99 during the 'Mo Money, Mo Problems' era, so they aren't new in hip-hop culture historically. But never have leather pants been so much of a trend that everyone at this year's Summer Jam had some semblance of leather on, be it leather sweats, a leather tee, or leather tank top. Yeezy's imprint on hip-hop and pop culture style has never been so apparent.
No One Would Wear A Tee With A Rabid Rottweiler On It
Before Kanye rocked Givenchy's famed Rottweiler tee, the shirt was virtually unknown outside of fashion editors and designer clothes' Stans. It resulted in a chain reaction with Rihanna, Usher, and Tyga wearing the same tee shortly after. This also lead to a turning point when people who were not a part of the fashion world discovered Givenchy, and the house's current designer Riccardo Tisci became a household name.
