Kanye West tribute to Anna Wintour took center stage on social media this week, as the rapper and fashion mogul shared a heartfelt message following Wintour’s announcement of stepping down from Vogue after nearly four decades.
Despite a rocky past with the publication, West extended public appreciation for the iconic editor. On X (formerly Twitter), he posted a throwback photo of himself with Wintour at a fashion event, captioned, “Thank you Anna for your support and friendship for so many years 🐐.”
A Complicated History Between Kanye West tribute to Anna Wintour
The relationship between Kanye West and Vogue soured in 2022 after a series of controversial and antisemitic remarks made by the rapper. At the time, the magazine announced it had no future plans to collaborate with West. This statement came just months after Anna Wintour had been seen wearing Yeezy sunglasses, showing public support for his fashion line.
Still, the recent Kanye West tribute to Anna Wintour suggests that, on a personal level, West holds no grudge and still values her influence in the fashion industry.
The Gabriella Karefa-Johnson Controversy
One of the most significant moments of tension between West and Vogue involved fashion editor Gabriella Karefa-Johnson. In 2022, she criticized West’s decision to wear clothing featuring the slogan “White Lives Matter,” calling it an act of “pure violence.”
In response, West mocked her fashion sense online, writing:
“This is not a fashion person. You speak on Ye, Ima speak on you. Ask Trevor Noah.”
Amid the backlash, Anna Wintour stepped in as a peacemaker. She arranged a private meeting between West and Karefa-Johnson to resolve the conflict. Following the meeting, West posted on social media:
“GAB IS MY SISTER. I’M NOT LETTING PEOPLE GO TO BED THINKING I DIDN’T MEET WITH GABRIELLE AT 5 PM TODAY FOR 2 HOURS. THEN WE WENT TO DINNER AT FERDIE.”
He added:
“IT FELT LIKE SHE WAS BEING USED LIKE TREVOR NOAH AND OTHER BLACK PEOPLE TO SPEAK ON MY EXPRESSION.
WE APOLOGIZED TO EACH OTHER FOR THE WAY WE MADE EACH OTHER FEEL. WE ACTUALLY GOT ALONG AND HAVE BOTH EXPERIENCED THE FIGHT FOR ACCEPTANCE IN A WORLD THAT’S NOT OUR OWN.”
Vogue’s Public Support for Karefa-Johnson
Despite the meeting and apology, Vogue issued a strong statement of support for their editor. The publication emphasized the importance of diverse voices and condemned the targeting and bullying of Karefa-Johnson:
“Vogue stands with Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, our global fashion editor at large. She was personally targeted and bullied. It is unacceptable. Now more than ever, voices like hers are needed, and in a private meeting with Ye today she once again spoke her truth in a way she felt best, on her terms.”
End of an Era, But No End to Respect
Anna Wintour’s departure marks the end of an era in fashion publishing. Her 37-year tenure at Vogue shaped the landscape of global fashion. While her professional ties with West may have been severed, the Kanye West tribute to Anna Wintour highlights the complexity of their relationship—one marked by creative collaboration, personal conflict, and ultimately, mutual respect.
As Wintour steps away from her role, she leaves behind a legacy that has impacted even her most controversial collaborators, including Kanye West.
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