Kanye West is a cool-hunter.
Kanye West, the musician-turned-fashion designer and spouse of Kim Kardashian, has always found real people with a unique sense of self to inspire his sought-after Yeezy collections.
Former muses include Teyana Taylor, the Harlem recording artist with killer shade and washboard abs; Amina Blue, the half-German half-Pakistani 5’1″ model from Queens who could be mistaken for a long lost Kardashian-Jenner; Ian Connor, the self-purported ‘King of Youth’ who worked on West’s creative team and gained West’s attention by notoriously showing up to a dinner wearing beat up Skechers; and Kim Kardashian, for obvious reasons.
Former “muses” from left to right: Teyana Taylor, Amina Blue, and Ian Connor.
While they’ve all got something slightly unusual that piques your curiosity, the fashionable rapper’s latest muse may come as a surprise to many: Shia LaBeouf.
The Borg vs. McEnroe actor’s unstable past is littered with outbursts and alcoholism which have made him a celebrity schadenfreude in recent times. But his eclectic talent, coupled with his iconic off-duty style, has captivated the attention of Mr West and he has been pegged to inspire the next Yeezy collection.
Kanye West’s latest muse for his coming Yeezy collection, Shia LaBeouf.
An article published by Kam Dhillon in Highsnobiety argues that Shia LaBeouf is a ‘Normcore Fashion God’, “[whose] carefully cultivated personal style dictum of “I’m late for class”… [with] each and every rugged look as unhinged as the next. There’s a sartorial lesson to take away here and it’s to DGAF.”
Who knew our childhood Disney crush would transform into a complicated, and oh so street style savvy individual? (You know, if that’s what you’re into.)
West’s proclivity with LeBeouf’s homeless-meets-hipster aesthetic dates back as far as his lyrics in “No more parties in LA” confirming “[he] wish [he] dressed as fresh as Shia LaBeouf.”
But it doesn’t stop there. An interview with Esquire reveals: “When Kanye went to LaBeouf’s house to discuss possible art collaborations, he asked if he could have some of his clothes for a pop-up shop.” To which LaBeouf responded: “‘Go for it, my guy. Take everything you want.’ And he did. He took all my f**king clothes.”
While LaBeouf hasn’t seen his clothing since, even items with personal history *sigh*, his penchant for unassuming stonewashed military steez, technical outdoor gear, hiking boots, graphic sweatshirts and generally ambiguous threads “that look as though they’ve been strewn straight out of the $1 barrel of a Salvation Army [which are] all horrifically on-trend,” writes Dhillon, aren’t too off-brand from previous Yeezy hallmarks.
Watch: Yeezy Season 5 Finale at New York Fashion Week
Beyond the body con dresses in fifty shades of flesh-tone, stilettos too high to walk in, and oversized denim jackets that bear no function, West has been known for tapping ideas, nerves and, let’s not forget, Kim Kardashian (ba doom doom pshhh). Sure, LaBeouf was a surprise, but with a quick scroll through his papped style, it’s easy to see why he’s been identified as West’s latest muse.
For now, we’ll await the next Yeezy collection (we’re betting LaBeouf’s Indiana Jones hat will feature on the runway), and contemplate starting a campaign to reunite the poor guy with his beloved clothes. Anyone with a sister or a flat full of girls can appreciate the loss of stolen clothing #amiright?
