Kanye West recently made his catwalk debut as a surprise model for Balenciaga’s show at Paris Fashion Week. West wore a baseball cap, black jacket, and shiny pants, with the word “Security” hanging as a tag from the coat. As the show’s statement (via Rain), Balenciaga’s creative director Demna said he has “decided to no longer explain my collections and verbalize my designs, but to express a state of mind.”
In a video uploaded to YouTube of the company’s S/S 2023 collection, West appears to open the show. He trudges through a muddy runway, which was intended to resemble a war-like battlefield. “Fashion is a visual art and all we need is for it to be seen through someone’s eyes.,” Demna also noted about the show’s setting. “Fashion in its best-case scenario should not need a story to be sold to someone. You either like it or not. The set of this show is a metaphor for digging for truth and being down to earth. Let us let everyone be anyone and make love not war.”
While West’s model appearance was a surprise, he wasn’t alone as the only A-list celebrity at the luxury designer’s show. Kylie Jenner and Khloé Kardashian were both seated as VIP guests, along with Anna Wintour, Doja Cat, Charli XCX, Offset, and many more.
Watch Kanye West open the Balenciaga show above.