Instagram account Diet Prada is an account that specializes in pointing out the not so coincidental copying that goes on in the world of fashion today. As we all know there is no problem with drawing inspiration from someone whether it be their design, runway setup, or just the overall theme of a collection. But there is a very clear difference between pulling inspiration from something or someone and blatantly stealing an idea and crediting it as your own. Diet Prada since their first post in 2014 calling out Raf Simons for using designs very similar to Prada, hence the name, has been diligent to point out those who do not give credit where it is due.
In Diet Prada’s most recent claim they are accusing Kanye West of taking the ideas of photographer Minissi and a series of photographs she took in 2015 that explored identity and the wanted of oneself to reconnect with their own body, a very deep subject. I believe what Diet Prada feels what Mr. West is most guilty of is the fact that he drew inspiration from this very deep emotional photo shoot and turned it into a not safe for work sneaker advertisement. Myself, similarly to Diet Prada see it as a little distasteful considering the subject matter of the original photographs.
This would not be the first time though that Diet Prada has made claims against not just Kanye West but the West family in general. In July of 2017 Diet Prada accused Kim Kardashian West of very blatantly using the designs of Comme Des Garcon designer Rei Kawakubo and Vetements designer Demna Gvasalia for children’s pieces for Kim’s brand The Kids Supply. Kim said that the pieces were being made as an homage to the designers and that the pieces would be named after them, clearing the air about the whole copycatting fiasco. But Diet Prada was not done there also accusing Kim of ripping off the makeup done on Beyonce for a Flaunt magazine cover for Kim’s makeup collection, which Kim did not address. The last claim Diet Prada made against the West’s though was when Kanye in May tweeted sketches that appeared to be taken directly from ex-Nike designer Tony Spackman just with his name for the sketches photoshopped off the top of the sketch. This was another accusation that Kanye would not address.
With these most recent accusations made by Diet Prada against Kanye West, many are left unsurprised by his actions. Many without real ears to the ground in this industry and this culture believe that Kanye West is a very original one of a kind thinker when it comes to his ideas. What many don’t know is that Kanye West just like all of us draws inspiration from the things he hears and sees around him in his day to day life. The only problem with what he’s doing right now is by not giving credit to this original photographer, if that is where he drew the inspiration from, he is disrespecting the whole entire series of photographs she did and the message behind them. The fact that he recreated them as a way for him to sell sneakers too just adds salt to the wound.
