Kanye West meets Vogue editor Gabriella Kafer-Johnson over ‘White Lives Matter’ T-shirt row

File photo: Kanye West has met Vogue editor Gabriella Karefa-Johnson over his 'White Lives Matter' T-shirt. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

File photo: Kanye West has met Vogue editor Gabriella Karefa-Johnson over his 'White Lives Matter' T-shirt. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

Published Oct 5, 2022

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Kanye West has met Vogue editor Gabriella Karefa-Johnson over his 'White Lives Matter' T-shirt.

The 45-year-old rapper and the fashion editor clashed this week after he sparked controversy with the apparel during the Yeezy fashion show in Paris on Monday, but he says they have since apologised to each other.

In an all-caps caption alongside a photo of Karefa-Johnson, he wrote: "Gabby is my sister. I'm not letting people go to bed thinking I didn't meet with Gabrielle at 5pm today for 2 hours then we went to dinner at [Ferdi]."

He claimed that the conversation was recorded by “Elvis” filmmaker Baz Luhrmann under the instruction of Vogue's editor-in-chief Anna Wintour.

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He continued: "We took pics and I was instructed to not post them.

"It felt like she was being used like Trevor Noah and other Black people to speak on my expression.

"She expressed that her company did not instruct her to speak on my t shirt expression."

West claimed they both said sorry to each other, but still "disagreed".

He added: "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.

"She disagreed I disagreed we disagreed. At least we both love [Ferdi] and fashion."

Meanwhile, Vogue itself has issued a statement defending Karefa-Johnson and confirming the meeting took place.

They said: "Vogue stands with Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, our global fashion editor at large and longtime contributor.

"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."

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West posted a photo of Gabrielle on his Instagram account, in which the fashion journalist wore a striped skirt, yellow graphic tee and corduroy trench coat teamed with brown boots, a blue Balenciaga bag, sunglasses and a chunky necklace.

He captioned his post: “This is not a fashion person. You speak on Ye Ima speak on you Ask Trevor Noah."

Referencing Anna Wintour he wrote in another post: “I KNOOOOOW ANNA HAAAATES THESE BOOTS (sic)"

The “Gold Digger” hitmaker hit out at Kafter-Johnson in response to her criticism of the 'White Lives Matter' t-shirt.

Sharing a video from the show, she wrote on her Instagram Story: “I’m fuming… collecting my thoughts …"

After branding the design "indefensible behaviour", she added on another post: “I guess I get what he tried to do– he thought it was duchampian. It wasn’t. It didn’t land and it was deeply offensive, violent and dangerous.(sic)"