LENS Post #9

I had to ask Google to understand its meaning. YEEZY. Is it a verb, noun, adjective? It sounds so magnificently grotesque and lost on people like me – pop culture’s hopelessly disengaged. For the uninitiated, Yeezy is a slang used by Kanye West. A self invented word that didn’t need to escape the safe perimeter of friends and family. It did, and Yeezy became a thing. It embodies red-hot fame and success – the cult of celebrity worship. It’s what hyper-consumerist society wants us to want in the void of our poorly unaccomplished selves. The cultural capital of Yeezy and West’s inertia of fame and self-inflation propelled shoemaker Adidas to collaborate and release a line of branded sneakers. Now these have become status symbols of their own accord. Not because they are of sartorial workmanship but simply because King Midas fondled with the design because he’s seen sporting them and if you do, will be more like Mr West too. An entire world of appreciation for the nuances of the shoes have erupted online – spread like an airborne virus in a lift. Don’t think about the fuddy-duddy artisanal leather pair from Italy – no that’s my job – highfalutin limited edition Yeezy is coming next season. The sneakers have kick-ass democratic value, and yet are worn by pop culture royalty.

“The brand has been engineered to need beyond reason.”

Limited Editions can even command thousands of dollars! It is the ultimate and perverse distortion of brand over quality. Of course, I didn’t think this when I saw the tragically disposable fast fashion ‘fan fiction’ one-piece. I’m unsure if the brand has diversified into swimwear, but someone, somewhere believes they want this. Yeezy represents fame beyond our wildest dreams; the right to interrupt Grammy Awards ceremonies and of course, bucket-loads of moola. Mr West is a smart man to bring fulfilment in the form of sneakers - some may say he’s Yeezus.