In July, Kanye debuted his listening party for DONDA. In perfect Ye fashion, the rapper went back into the studio for DONDA 2.0, adding features from The Weeknd and Kid Cudi. He also felt his visuals needed to be updated, prompting him to enlist Balenciaga’s Demna Gvasalia as creative director, to direct the overall mood and vibe of the event and livestream.
On August 5, DONDA‘s second listening event was held live at the Mercedes Benz Arena in Atlanta and streamed in real-time on Apple Music. Fans on the edge of their chairs (both virtual and IRL) immediately saw the influences of Gvasalia and Ye’s revisit to the studio and event encore, perfecting his quirky and unconventional style.
How did the two come about, you ask? It may seem random, but it’s not that hard to believe once you take a deep dive into both creatives’ aesthetics. Both Gvasalia and West derive creativity from darkness; just take a look at Balenciaga’s recent Spring 2022 show. The two coincidentally also share the same art director, Niklas Bildstein Zaar. If the puffer jackets seen at the DONDA event looked familiar, it’s because they also appeared in Gvasalia’s Fall 2020 Balenciaga show.
Gvasalia approached everyday wear with unique and exaggerated renditions. Sleeves are blown out of proportion, blazers and button-ups have dramatic shoulders, and trench coats take oversize to a new meaning. This is the kind of creativity that we expect and love from Balenciaga. West takes a similar approach to YEEZY, using simple silhouettes and utilitarian workwear and adding a taste of high fashion.
It’s still too soon to say if Ye’s YEZZUS era of camels and neutrals is over and replaced by this new Balenciaga-esque aesthetic. But one thing is for sure, Kim Kardashian is committed to supporting his creative genius, despite their divorce back in February. The SKIMS and KKW mogul attended the massive album listening party mimicking his post-apocalyptic style. The reality star wore a Balenciaga ensemble, keeping her completely incognito as if she just stepped out of an episode of American Horror Story. If it wasn’t for her IG post, we might have never known it was her (other than West kids tagging along).
