Note: We are re-reporting this incident, originally covered in October 2022.
Kanye West, no stranger to controversy, stirred outrage and backlash during his recent appearance at Paris Fashion Week. He attended the Yeezy’s Season 9 collection show donning a t-shirt featuring the Pope’s face on the front and the phrase “White Lives Matter” on the back.
Notably, some models in the Yeezy collection also wore similar shirts, as did conservative influencer, author, and talk show host Candace Owens. Following the show, Kanye discussed his fallout with brands like Adidas and Gap, along with Kim Kardashian’s 2016 robbery in Paris.
In one photo, Kanye and Owens posed with their backs to the camera, prominently displaying the “White Lives Matter” message on their shirts.
Critics expressed strong disapproval of Kanye’s choice, deeming it an embodiment of his anti-black stance and alignment with white supremacist ideologies. Some found it disgusting, dangerous, and irresponsible, questioning those who would defend him. Others pointed out the stark contrast between Kanye and Owens’ actions and the legacy of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. The “White Lives Matter” slogan is widely considered a divisive and racist response to the “Black Lives Matter” movement, which emerged in response to the 2013 fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin.
