Vogue editor Karefa Johnson has recently gathered media attention after Kanye West depicted and insulted her fashion choices via Instagram after she attended a Yeezy fashion show. What Karefa found at that show was a line that surrounded the headline “white lives matter”. Which was stitched onto most of the pieces. Karefa rightfully criticized the show and called the shirts “Pure Violence” through her Instagram story. She also stated via social media “I do think that if you asked Kanye, he’d say there was art, and revolution, and all of the things in that shirt. There isn’t” (Johnson). This pushed Kanye to strike back. He went on to post a photo of the Vogue editor onto his Instagram calling her “not a fashion person” and insulting her boots.
Earlier in the morning on October 5th, 2022, Kanye made another post regarding Karefa Johnson. However, it reported that the two had met up and forgiven each other, and the feud was “over”. He also claimed she was being corrupted by her company to go against his brand. According to his Instagram caption Kanye stated, “It felt like she was being used like Trevor Noah and other black people to speak on my expression” (West). As this article is being written Karefa has not responded to this statement. The media does not know for sure if Kanye and Karefa have actually made up and if Kanye’s statement is true.
During this public Instagram attack against Karefa Johnson, Gigi Hadid spoke up against Kanye in support of the Vogue Editor. Gigi commented under the Instagram post attacking Karefa’s fashion choices, she went on to say “You wish u had a percentage of her intellect. You have no idea haha…If there’s actually a point to any of your shit, she might be the only person that could save u”. (Hadid) Many public figures especially those in the fashion industry are upset at this public Instagram slander. Karefa is a highly respected editor and intellectual. Supporters find this instance especially upsetting since Kanye’s fashion show is extremely offensive and truly had no creative aspect, the theme was just white power.
Gigi also went on to call Kanye a bully and a joke under the same Instagram post. This resulted in Kanye making a post involving Gigi and Tarefa into his family drama. He went on to asking, “I wonder what Gigi’s Perspective was when I didn’t know where my child was on her birthday” (Kanye October 5th) and stated that “Gabby (Tarefa) told me that she disagreed with that (and that’s me putting it in a nice way) She said it was on her group chats”. (Kanye October 5th) He concluded his confusing statement by claiming that this all revolved around: “tearing a black man down for actually having a difficult political opinion” (West). Of course, he will not admit that his fashion show was a disgusting and unartistic symbol that harmed a community and many of his fans.
Kanye had made multiple posts involving Tarefa and Gigi Hadid and also put them in the middle of family drama all publicly on Instagram. His past fashion show was harmful and sends detrimental messages to his extremely large fan base. He hurt a community and then went on to attack a very intelligent, talented, and powerful woman who had many public figures come to her Defence. Kanye’s continuation to promote harmful products and beliefs has taken over social media as he continues to bring everything publicly. It was important to see many come to the defence of such a powerful and smart woman like Tarefa despite going against such a threatening media figure like Kanye West.