Kanye West. Photo by JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP
Kanye West has attracted the ire of Tremaine Emory, creative director for Supreme, after West accused Bernard Arnault, CEO of LVMH, of "killing [his] best friend" Virgil Abloh. Abloh became the artistic director of Louis Vuitton's menswear collection in 2018 and passed away from cancer in 2021.
West's Instagram post, shared on Tuesday, was made in response to the criticism he's received for showcasing a shirt with the phrase "White Lives Matter" at his Yeezy Season 9 fashion show in Paris on Monday (October 3). "SPANK MY HAND WITH THE RULER(S) I’LL GO SIT IN THE “PRINCIPAL(S)” OFFICE," he wrote in a caption. "CAN’T WE TALK ABOUT MORE IMPORTANT THINGS LIKE HOW LATE THE SHOW WAS OR HOW BERNARD ARNAULT KILLED MY BEST FRIEND EVERYONE’S GOT A RIGHT TO AN OPINION RIGHT THERE’S MINE."
Emory responded to West soon after. "I gotta draw the line at you using Virgil’s death in your ‘ye’ is the victim campaign in front [of] your sycophant peanut algorithm gallery," Emory wrote before alleging that West was disrespectful and dismissive towards Abloh even after he was aware of Abloh's cancer diagnosis. "This time last year you said Virgil’s designs are a disgrace to the black community infont of all your employees at yeezy," Emory wrote. "Your not a victim your just an insecure narcissist that’s dying for validation from the fashion world…"
West shot back on Instagram later: "IN WAR THEY WILL SEND YOUR OWN PEOPLE AT YOU... GOOD ONE BERNARD."
In September, West vowed to end all outstanding grudges in honor of the memory of Queen Elizabeth II.
