Kanye West’s influence on the fashion world is becoming impossible to ignore. The 40-year-old rapper, producer, and designer has now been nominated for the prestigious Beazley Design of the Year award by London’s Design Museum. The committee has voted for West’s extensive work on the ‘Life of Pablo’ merchandise which launched last year in support of an album and tour of the same name.
Upon releasing in February 2016, the apparel became highly sought after and sparked numerous pop-ups throughout the world. These locations were often swarmed and hopeful fans waited in line for hours in order to purchase the gear. These pieces were subsequently found on market websites reselling for absurd amounts.
The ‘Life of Pablo’ clothing line was nominated for the Beazley fashion award alongside Levis’ Trucker Jacket, the Nike Pro Hijab, and Ecoalf: a green initiative that aims to upcycle marine waste. The Beazley Design of the Year award has been running since 2011 and in addition to the fashion category, the annual medal also recognizes architecture, digital, graphics, product, and transport.
These subsections are then whittled down until one overall winner is declared. Last year’s victor was IKEA, who won over voters with its flatpack refugee shelter. Since the achievement, the Swedish furniture giant has invested in aiding and bringing awareness to the plight of refugees, with a recent campaign showcasing the severity of war-torn Syria.
Nominated work will be on display at the London Design Museum until later this October. The winner will eventually be named in January of next year. In the meantime, ‘Pablo’ merch is available in limited quantities here.
