In 2013, Kanye West told Jimmy Kimmel, “Fashion isn’t always practical, it’s more about emotion and it’s more about swag”. Even a decade later, this rings true of most of Ye’s fashion statements, which are some of Tinseltown’s most head-turning. The Yeezy founder’s avant-garde approach to clothing and accessorizing has forever trespassed traditional boundaries to reach for sartorial audacity. Among his experiments, the latest has been his newly unveiled titanium dentures that have shaken up the internet. 

Here is a journey down the memory lane of his most trend-setting accessories, beginning with when it all started. 

2007: The Kanye West jewelry evolution begins 

When West dropped his third studio album, ‘Graduation’ in 2007, he introduced eyewear that has become a quintessential part of many people’s party wardrobes today. These were the shutter shades, a sleek aviator with horizontal beams running across. By showcasing these shades in ‘Stronger’ from ‘Graduation’ and later donning them during his Grammy performance the same year, West popularized the eyewear as a clubbing staple.  

Although the shades pose a challenge to vision, their unique style was a rage in the 2000s and makes comebacks every now and then. Another accessory he endorsed during that year was the neck bandeau and scarves that he wore heavily at the time and even appeared in his images from the Middle East last year.

With the validation of these accessories, West was emboldened to try another headwear that became synonymous with his style in the 2010s.

2012: West’s Era of bejeweled masks starts

In 2012, Ye tried his hands at wearing full-coverage face masks during his Yeezus tour for the first time. The 46-year-old gifted his admirers with a distinctive visual statement, gracing the concert stage in a dazzling face covering adorned with glistening Swarvoski crystals. This bespoke creation, courtesy of Maison Margiela, became the inspiration for his future endeavors with exaggerated face coverings.  

The following year, he took the experimentation one step further and showed up on stage in a furry white face cover that screamed Chewbacca. While he did not repeat this baffling look again, his dazzling masks stayed. The shimmering stones that caught the spotlight with an ethereal glow became a favorite of West, who delivered many more electrifying performances in them. Later, his obsession with face coverings turned a lot more minimalistic in the 2020s.

2021: Ye’s love affair with black Balenciaga masks

One of the most noteworthy elements of West’s wardrobe from his ‘Donda’ era is the face masks. Their dark and nude hues took center stage in 2021. After demonstrating a fondness for the Margiela masks in the previous decade, he opted for a nostalgic return to the coverings through a Balenciaga-fuelled wardrobe. The most prolific of these was the sheer face cover he wore during the iconic listening party for the best-selling album. 

Among other eye-catching variations of these were masks adorned with striking imagery, such as fierce felines. Diverging from the fully obscured visage, he tried other renditions through wrapped T-shirts featuring strategically placed eye openings. Adding his distinct touch to an ongoing exploration of boundary-pushing fashion, the masks became a permanent feature of his wardrobe after 2021. 

Even last year, Ye popped in different parts of the globe, always carrying his masked look with him.

2023: Kanye West tries different face coverings 

Throughout the previous year, West and Bianca Censori traveled across the world, starting with Tokyo in July. While there, he was clicked wearing black gaiters, a tame version of his full-blown face covers. However, he soon returned to his trademark by later appearing in Italy wearing a scarf as a face cover, leading fans to make memes about his perplexing attire.

Later in the year, the ‘Graduation’ artist held a rave for ‘Vultures’ in December. There he wore a black hood that many felt carried racial undertones causing backlash. In the past, West had explained his love for masks to be a choice fueled by his shyness and reluctance to be photographed constantly. Similarly, there may be a connection between his latest experimentation with dentures and his life experiences, too. 

2024: Ye plays around with his teeth for a second time 

Earlier this week, West made headlines once again by smiling through a full set of titanium dentures which were previously unheard of. However, this is not the first time he had facial reconstructions done. In 2002, he suffered a jaw fracture, which meant his mouth was wired shut for weeks, reshaping his jaw. Years later, he chose to fix the situation by replacing the bottom row of his teeth with a diamond grill. 

In an interview with The Ellen Show, he revealed this fact, saying that he felt that “diamonds were cooler” anyway. According to the father of four, it was part of “certain stuff rockstars are supposed to do”. So, his baffling fashion rendezvous with titanium dentures is not the first time he has messed with his teeth. The jewelry trend may not immediately catch on, but certainly left another imprint on the runway of his eccentricity.   

Which among these do you reckon was West’s weirdest accessorizing attempt? Share your thoughts in the comments.