{"id":18365,"date":"2012-12-30T16:58:14","date_gmt":"2012-12-30T21:58:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wendybrandes.com\/blog\/?p=18365"},"modified":"2012-12-31T02:10:33","modified_gmt":"2012-12-31T07:10:33","slug":"kanye-west-azealia-banks-a-new-years-resolution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2012\/12\/kanye-west-azealia-banks-a-new-years-resolution\/","title":{"rendered":"Kanye West, Azealia Banks &#038; a New Year&#8217;s Resolution"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2012\/12\/kanye-west-does-lady-gaga-no-not-in-that-way-you-pervs\/\" target=\"_blank\">Yesterday, after I gave Kanye West<\/a> a pat on the back for his edgy wardrobe choices, he went right back to doing what he does best: complaining about how the world won&#8217;t let Kanye West be great. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/videos\/kanye-west-i-aint-crazy-im-just-not-satisfied-20121230\" target=\"_blank\">While venting at a second show in Atlantic City last night<\/a> he said the Grammys have done him wrong for years, so don&#8217;t expect to see him at the 2013 ceremony <a href=\"http:\/\/www.bet.com\/news\/music\/2012\/12\/06\/jay-z-kanye-west-lead-2013-grammy-nominations.html\" target=\"_blank\">despite his six nominations.<\/a> I feel like I should have known that he was still angry about losing the Best New Artist category to Maroon 5 in 2005.<\/p>\n<p><center><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/W03hhdL55_A\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/center><\/p>\n<p>No one rants like Kanye. Of course, once you get on MTV&#8217;s stage and take a microphone away from Taylor Swift, like Kanye did in 2009, you&#8217;re the all-time king of rants, but I appreciate that Kanye doesn&#8217;t rest on his laurels. He&#8217;s done plenty of impressive rants since that one.\u00a0 I&#8217;ve been thinking about his <a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/blogs\/celebritology\/post\/kanye-west-and-the-donda-twitter-rant-a-translation\/2012\/01\/05\/gIQARGQccP_blog.html\" target=\"_blank\">January 2012 Twitter rant<\/a> recently. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.buzzfeed.com\/jpmoore\/kanye-wests-bizarre-twitter-rant-is-about-his-ins\" target=\"_blank\">Some of that rant focused on how hard he worked to make it in the fashion industry<\/a>.\u00a0 (Unfortunately, the<a href=\"http:\/\/wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2011\/10\/anna-wintours-genius-comment-about-kanye-west\/\" target=\"_blank\"> fashion industry didn&#8217;t appreciate his efforts<\/a>.) But what really stuck with me was his plan for a 22-division company where diverse minds including doctors, car designers, musicians and bankers would &#8220;help simplify and aesthetically improve everything we see hear, touch, taste and feel.&#8221;\u00a0 He was super-enthused about it.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>&#8220;I have started a new company and I\u2019m so excited about the name. &#8230; it\u2019s got the best name ever of all companies of all time!!!&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><b> &#8220;<\/b>DONDA is a design company which will galvanize amazing thinkers and put them in a creative space to bounce there<\/em> [sic] <em>dreams and ideas.&#8221;<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Does anyone know what happened to DONDA?! Because I still want to submit my resume.<\/p>\n<p>Another rapper, up-and-coming Azealia Banks, also is feeling a bit burned by the fashion industry.\u00a0 I had my eye on Azealia for a little while. In 2011, I was entranced by her <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=i3Jv9fNPjgk\" target=\"_blank\">YouTube video for her song <em>212.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<p><center><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/i3Jv9fNPjgk\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/center><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2012\/01\/meet-gorgeous-rapper-gangsta-boo-and-her-jewelry\/\" target=\"_blank\">I like to support female artists<\/a> and the fact that Azealia is a New Yorker was a bonus. My rapping friend <a href=\"http:\/\/theegangstaboo.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Gangsta Boo<\/a> is from Memphis and based in Atlanta, so I liked the idea of working with a hometown gal too. In January, when Azealia was booked to play the Coachella music festival, I had a short, friendly email exchange with her (now-ex) manager. I <a href=\"http:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/store\/products.php?product=NYC-Rings\" target=\"_blank\">sent off a set of NYC rings<\/a>, with the promise of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=i3Jv9fNPjgk\" target=\"_blank\">212<\/a> rings to follow. (I don&#8217;t do that kind of thing too often; I have to feel the person and the jewelry are perfect for each other.) Two weeks later, Azealia was signed to a major label, and I was excited. A week after that, the fashion world pounced and she was <a href=\"http:\/\/www.billboard.com\/column\/the-juice\/azealia-banks-performs-212-for-karl-lagerfeld-1006000952.story#\/column\/the-juice\/azealia-banks-performs-212-for-karl-lagerfeld-1006000952.story\" target=\"_blank\">performing at a party at Karl Lagerfeld&#8217;s house.<\/a>\u00a0 I was less excited because that didn&#8217;t bode well for a Wendy Brandes collaboration, but I looked for the sterling-silver lining: &#8220;At least I&#8217;ll be able to wear those 212 rings myself!&#8221; I said to my gorgeous <a href=\"http:\/\/www.stacylomman.com\" target=\"_blank\">designer <\/a>friend Stacy Lomman.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_18386\" style=\"width: 528px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/photo.php?fbid=10151051391756153&amp;amp;set=pb.83866321152.-2207520000.1356901588&amp;amp;type=3&amp;amp;theater\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18386\" class=\" wp-image-18386\" alt=\"212rings\" src=\"http:\/\/wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/212rings.jpg\" width=\"518\" height=\"346\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/212rings.jpg 576w, https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/212rings-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 518px) 100vw, 518px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-18386\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">That&#8217;s me wearing them!<br \/><\/p><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>But I added, &#8220;I hope Azealia doesn&#8217;t love this experience too much, because <a href=\"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2010\/10\/05\/ines-de-la-fressange-chanel-karl-lagerfeld_n_751151.html#s150480&amp;title=1983\" target=\"_blank\">Karl has dropped<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.marieclaire.co.uk\/news\/celebrity\/160840\/claudia-schiffer-and-karl-lagerfeld-reunite.html\" target=\"_blank\">bigger people than her<\/a>.&#8221; It took less than a year for poor Azealia to find out how some &#8212; not all &#8212; of the fashion business is. <a href=\"http:\/\/nymag.com\/thecut\/2012\/12\/azealia-banks-fashion-world-will-let-you-down.html\" target=\"_blank\">In a recent interview<\/a>\u00a0 with <a href=\"http:\/\/hypetrak.com\/2012\/12\/hypetrak-tv-azealia-banks-look-of-the-future\/\" target=\"_blank\">Hypetrak.com<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/youtu.be\/tOB6KqrOrSc\" target=\"_blank\">she said<\/a>, &#8220;I was this fashion darling &#8230;&#8221; She continued:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>&#8220;You can very easily kinda get sucked up by the fashion world because they bring artists in to kinda make themselves look a certain way, then as soon as someone new comes out they&#8217;ve completely forgotten about you. They&#8217;re so fickle &#8230; If you place your faith in the fashion world you will get let down as an artist. so it&#8217;s very important to remember what you&#8217;re here for.&#8221;<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Banks still spoke positively with her collaboration with<a href=\"http:\/\/www.style.com\/stylefile\/2012\/07\/exclusive-azealia-banks-for-alexander-wang\/\" target=\"_blank\"> Alexander Wang<\/a> and I hope that continues as he takes over <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2012\/12\/09\/fashion\/an-american-in-paris-again-alexander-wang-at-balenciaga.html?pagewanted=all&amp;_r=0\" target=\"_blank\">Balenciaga<\/a>. A good music-fashion partnership is so much more than free outfits. It can turn an already-famous performer into an iconic figure, the way <a href=\"http:\/\/fashionista.com\/2012\/06\/from-blond-ambition-to-mdna-madonnas-tour-costumes-then-and-now\/madonna-gaultier-2\/\" target=\"_blank\">Jean-Paul Gaultier&#8217;s conical bras did for Madonna<\/a>. <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Green_Versace_dress_of_Jennifer_Lopez\" target=\"_blank\">Jennifer Lopez was well-known when she wore THAT green Versace dress to the Grammys in 2000<\/a>, but that barely-there outfit landed her on the front page of newspapers. It also lent credibility to Donatella Versace, who faced some doubters when she took over her brother Gianni&#8217;s fashion house after he was murdered in 1997. More recently, Lady Gaga&#8217;s work with stylist <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Nicola_Formichetti\" target=\"_blank\">Nicola Formichetti<\/a> helped him win the job of creative director of Mugler. (<a href=\"http:\/\/articles.latimes.com\/2012\/sep\/26\/news\/la-paris-fashion-week-mugler-lady-gaga-20120926\" target=\"_blank\">Azealia Banks<\/a> happened to sit front row at this September&#8217;s Mugler runway show, where a new Gaga song debuted.) Anyway, an aside to artists, whether acclaimed or aspiring: If I work with you at all, I&#8217;m going to stick with you. My jewelry is influenced by ancient Egyptians and Tudor queens. Obviously I take the long-term view!<\/p>\n<p>Someone else who has a long-term view of fashion is stylist and fashion editor <a href=\"http:\/\/www.vogue.com\/voguepedia\/Polly_Mellen\" target=\"_blank\">Polly Mellen<\/a>, who worked with famed editor Diana Vreeland and photographer Richard Avedon. (Watch <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Unzipped_%28film%29\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Unzipped<\/em><\/a>, the documentary about designer Isaac Mizrahi, to see Polly stealing every scene she&#8217;s in.) Have you ever seen the <a href=\"http:\/\/plancksconstant.org\/blog1\/2011\/03\/nastassja_kinski_and_snake.html\" target=\"_blank\">Nastassja Kinski\/python photo<\/a>? That was a Mellen-Avedon collaboration. This month, the 88-year-old Mellen did a Q&amp;A at the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.92y.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">92nd Street Y <\/a>in New York City. I didn&#8217;t go and I wished I did after I read the WWD article about it.\u00a0 I kept the article because of what she said she learned from the late Carmel Snow, the esteemed editor of Harper&#8217;s Bazaar.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-18373\" alt=\"resolution\" src=\"http:\/\/wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/resolution.jpg\" width=\"498\" height=\"156\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/resolution.jpg 498w, https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/resolution-300x93.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 498px) 100vw, 498px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>If some of you fashion media folks still haven&#8217;t come up with a New Year&#8217;s resolution, feel free to use that. Hell, maybe the next great designer will be Kanye West! Anything is possible. <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/International_Ladies%27_Garment_Workers%27_Union#Look_for_the_Union_Label\" target=\"_blank\">Look for the DONDA label<\/a>!<\/p>\n<p>UPDATED DECEMBER 31, 2012, TO ADD: Just when I think Kanye has done everything he can do on stage, he takes it one step further <a href=\"http:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/celebrity-moms\/news\/kim-kardashian-pregnant-with-kanye-wests-baby-20123112\" target=\"_blank\">by announcing that Kim Kardashian is pregnant<\/a>. I think <a href=\"http:\/\/teamkanyedaily.tumblr.com\/post\/39288979070\" target=\"_blank\">he looks very happy<\/a>! <a href=\"http:\/\/wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2012\/12\/kanye-west-and-fashion-amnesia\/\" target=\"_blank\">And like I&#8217;ve said before<\/a>, those &#8220;gold digger&#8221; jokes don&#8217;t even make sense. She has her own money. You may not like how she got it, but she has it! <\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Yesterday, after I gave Kanye West a pat on the back for his edgy wardrobe choices, he went right back to doing what he does best: complaining about how the world won&#8217;t let Kanye West be great. While venting at a second show in Atlantic City last night he said the Grammys have done him&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2012\/12\/kanye-west-azealia-banks-a-new-years-resolution\/\">Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":18373,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[10,42,43,41,144,593],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-18365","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-celebrities","8":"category-music","9":"category-my-designs","10":"category-pictures-of-me","11":"category-rants","12":"category-stacy-lomman","13":"entry"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18365","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18365"}],"version-history":[{"count":26,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18365\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18407,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18365\/revisions\/18407"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18373"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18365"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18365"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18365"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}