Unpopular Opinion: I'm Not Sold on Yeezy

Before Kanye West even showed his latest collection at New York Fashion Week on Wednesday, I had some thoughts. For a second, push past the spectacle of Kanye's fashion shows (and life in general) and ask yourself: is there talent here? Do I even like these Yeezy clothes? Should we even put Kanye in the same category as designers like Peter Dundas and Raf Simons or is this all a symptom of a deeply celebrity-obsessed culture that is seeping into the fashion world? I take issue with "Yeezy" for a few core reasons. First, the "shows" seem to be more Kanye or Kardashian self-promotion than actual fashion presentations. There also appears to be little craftsmanship or understanding of the garments themselves from Kanye. And finally, we all seem to be giving Kanye a free pass for bad behavior and sub-par clothes because he's Kanye.

I may be a lowly layperson just living in Kanye's world, but to me all of his designs look like Spanx (and I'm not the only one who thinks so!). A full bodysuit of beige nylon material isn't noteworthy fashion. Not even close. An oversize hoodie and boots is not a ground breaking concept — it's what college girls do the walk of shame in. In fact, Yeezy Season 2 was pretty reminiscent of the scene in Zoolander where Mugatu pitches "Derelicte."

I am not alone in raising questions about the validity or strength of Kanye's designs. While the Yeezy sneakers continue to sell out quickly after they drop, the clothing has garnered mixed reviews at best. It doesn't take a professional fashion critic to note the that drops are eerily similar run-on sentences, all extremely casual in their nature. While streetwear is undoubtedly in, there is something too base about Kanye's work. As one editor pointed out, guests at the shows are never able to see the clothes up close, as if Kanye wants to keep the details further from their gaze. Other reports suggest that Adidas's bet on Kanye hasn't entirely paid off. Sneakers aside, I've spotted many a Yeezy piece on clearance at the end of a season, because who wants to spend $2,000 dollars on a ripped tee just because Kanye has blessed it?

And to that point, who wants to spend hours waiting to see the latest presentation just because it comes from Kanye? Editors and reporters waited in long lines to get to his September 2016 Fashion Week presentation via shuttle buses and over an hour for the show to begin once they were there — pretty unacceptable behavior during the industry's busiest week. Worse, the models were told to stand completely still while everyone waited for Kanye. Some even fainted due to heat exhaustion.

Treating his models horribly as well as causing extreme hold-ups with his lateness discredit his work. One model who was an extra in the Yeezy Season 3 show even reported that one of the "instructions was that the theme was channeling a Rwandan refugee camp." Gut check — does this seem appropriate or crucial to make a point about fashion?

Kanye's show at Madison Square Garden last February seemed like more of an opportunity for Kanye to promote The Life of Pablo than to present an actual collection. The ensuing insanity surrounding the show delegitimized any fashion there was to see anyway.

Celebrity culture is more powerful than ever, and in the case of Kanye's collection, it may be overpowering the actual clothes. Each of Kanye's Yeezy shows has been equal part "fashion show," equal part Kardashian show. Being supportive is one thing, but when your family harnesses such overwhelming star power, it feels as though having them all sit front row is gimmicky and distracting. Case in point, in the past, Kendall Jenner has asked her sister Kim that she not attend some of her shows for fear of having the same effect.

Likewise, if Kanye West wants his work to be taken seriously, then he should act so (and maybe follow Kendall's lead). Perhaps offer to do more interviews about his process and inspiration, like other designers often do. Stay on schedule and treat models, editors, and Fashion Week as a whole with respect. Create thoughtful presentations that exemplify his work rather than use them as excuses to showcase his celebrity family and/or latest album. In turn, it is only fair that journalists and editors should review Kanye's Yeezy as they would any other show. If editors genuinely find strength in Kanye's collections, then so be it, but it's time to put some guardrails in place.