Words by Megan Ambers
It was during his October 3 Chanel show, that Karl Lagerfeld debuted his new experimental rain boots. The clear, plastic thigh-high PVC rain boots were worn by the models, along with plastic hats, hoods, and gloves. Although Chanel fans called the design innovative and different, there is only one problem, Kanye West did it first.
The wife and occasional muse of Kanye, Kim Kardashian West was spotted wearing a pair of clear, thigh-high rain boots in NYC, days before fashion week S/S17 last year. However, it was days later during the Yeezy Season 4 fashion show, that the boots were officially debuted. The see-through Tubular boots were met with the same type of mixed reactions from fashion fans, as well. The Yeezy PVC Tubular Boots and the low-cut PVC Mule are structure differently from the next season’s It boot from Chanel. Walking on a wooden plank for a runway with cascading waterfalls for the drop, the models wore different variation of the rain boots, paired with tweed mini skirts, suits, and gowns.
The Designer and Rapper are not strangers, knowing each other for several years Lagerfeld and Ye have worked on many projects together, including photo shoots. During an interview with Harper Bazaar in the beginning of the year, Lagerfeld talked about his shoot with Kim [Kardashian] for the September 2016 issue of the magazine.
“I photographed them before and I knew both of them for a long time. If they are in front of an unknown photographer, they would not relax like they do in front of me. I had done for another magazine when she was pregnant and I met her several times. Him [Kanye] I knew even longer. Normally I don’t have problems with people.”
It is not the first time that Kanye’s fashion ideas have been “borrowed” from a larger fashion empire. While being interviewed on BBC’s Zane Lowe in 2013, Kanye revealed that while interning for Fendi, him and friend Virgil Abloh brought design ideas to the label. Ideas that were later used by the company. “…me and Virgil are in Rome giving designs to Fendi over and over and getting our designs knocked down. We brought the leather jogging pants six years ago to Fendi, and they said, ‘No.'” I am sure it won’t affect the years long relationship between Lagerfeld and Ye, but it should be documented that Kanye did do it first.
