Kanye West sparks outrage with 'White Lives Matter' t-shirt at surprise Yezzy show in Paris

It's no secret that Kanye West has become synonymous with high fashion in the last few years and he has exponentially expanded his presence in the fashion industry. However, his latest appearance at Paris Fashion Week has invited a lot of backlash and outrage.

Wondering why? Well, the rapper's sartorial choice of the day didn't go down well with the people present there and netizens too. He arrived at the surprise PFW show for his brand Yeezy's Season 9 collection in a controversial t-shirt that was emblazoned with the Pope's face on the front and had "White Lives Matter" printed on the back. 

Some models showcasing the Yeezy collection also donned similar t-shirts. Meanwhile, American conservative influencer, author, and talk show host Candace Owens was also present at the Yeezy show. In one of the now-viral snaps, she is seen posing next to the rapper with a white t-shirt that had the same phrase printed on it.

After the show concluded, Kanye, who now goes by the name Ye, gave a speech during the show and spoke about his controversial falling out with major brands like Gap and Adidas. Ye also spoke about his ex-wife Kim Kardashian’s 2016 robbery in Paris.

Reacting to Kanye's photos on Twitter, a user wrote, "Kanye west making Black models wear “ white lives matter” shirts is a culmination of his anti blackness and his immersion in white supremacy ideologies and methods. Disgusting. (sic)" Another commented, "Kanye West decision to wear a “White Lives Matter” shirt is disgusting, dangerous, and irresponsible. Some of y’all will rush to defend him. You should ask yourselves why. (sic)"

And, one user tweeted, "So the guy who thought slavery was a choice & the woman who said slave owners deserve reparations more than the slaves, wore matching White Lives Matter sweatshirts. Color me surprised… Kanye West & Candace Owens make Martin Luther King Jr. roll over in his grave. (sic)"

So the guy who thought slavery was a choice & the woman who said slave owners deserve reparations more than the slaves, wore matching White Lives Matter sweatshirts.

Color me surprised… 🤦‍♂️

Kanye West & Candace Owens make Martin Luther King Jr. roll over in his grave. pic.twitter.com/uDPzYXSzQ4

— The Jewish Ginger Resister (@JewishResister) October 3, 2022

Kanye West decision to wear a “White Lives Matter” shirt is disgusting, dangerous, and irresponsible. Some of y’all will rush to defend him. You should ask yourselves why… pic.twitter.com/YT4a6c9tKI

— Marc Lamont Hill (@marclamonthill) October 3, 2022

Kanye west making Black models wear “ white lives matter” shirts is a culmination of his anti blackness and his immersion in white supremacy ideologies and methods. Disgusting pic.twitter.com/yIaVKPYEBB

— ꧁༺ӄɛɛք ȶʀɨɢɢɛʀɨռɢ ʀǟƈɨֆȶֆ ʍɛɢɦǟռ༻꧂ (@Blu_Alexia_) October 3, 2022

"White Lives Matter", written in bold white letters on the back of Ye's t-shirt, is being considered a response to the 2013 "Black Lives Matter" movement, which was triggered by the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin.

The movement further gained momentum in 2020 with the killing of an African-American man, George Floyd, due to excessive force by Minneapolis police. A video of the incident had gone viral on social media, attracting global backlash against police brutality in the US.

Also read: Kanye West surprises with ready-to-war look for his runway debut at Paris Fashion Week

According to the Anti-Defamation League, the phrase "White Lives Matter" is considered a hate slogan against that campaign.

Kanye described his new collection as something you can "pull on and pull over", labelling it the future of clothing.