Kanye’s designs for Pastelle from 2008
One of the biggest takeaways I’ve had over the last 18 months or so -- and it’s not to say by any means that this opinion is original to me, but moreso just that it’s more front of mind for me as I see the people I admired a lot as creators getting older -- is that if you’re a person who is famous (big audience) or visionary (appreciated in near real time) based on being a content or product creator, the older and richer you get, there’s a precipitous drop off of your ability to do whatever it is that you do.
Like, using Kanye as an example here, in 2008 he was able to make really forward thinking streetwear and actually create products (in this case, ”premium” varsity jackets) that would be insanely popular on a global scale, to the extent that we would eventually see everyone from Nike to Hedi Slimane/Saint Laurent to H&M and Target 3 to 4 (to 6!) years later all try to capitalize on the trend. And, of course, he wasn’t the first person to make varsity jackets, BUT, he was doing it way before most everyone else, and way ahead of the trend.
(I want to note that I don’t think the 32-year-old me today wants to be wearing a Pastelle jacket as shown here [although who the f knows these days], but I think 27 year old me then would have been all over it.)
Conversely, today, Kanye left to his own devices to make clothes yields Yeezy Seasons 1 through 3, which no matter what you think of it is just a lot more niche and derivative/reactive to things that already exist. It definitely makes noise, but I feel pretty confident we aren’t going to see the Kanye version of the distressed, nude, oversized, look that he’s trying to peddle in Zara a year from now. (The Vetements version will be everywhere, obvs.)
Or maybe it’s not because he’s old and rich and a dad, but just because he lives in LA now. Who knows.
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