Backstage Flash

tepping up his backstage behavior (as compared with his recent award show tantrums), Kanye West has been making the rounds at the Paris shows. Luckily, he left his Alain Mikli white plastic blinders at home.

Here he is at John Galliano and Alexander McQueen.

I'm Starting with the Millionaire in the Mirror

ehold, Kanye West at the MTV Video Music Award shenanigans this weekend in Las Vegas, chatting up the ladies.


[Source: MTV.com]

He is wearing sunglasses designed by his friend and collaborator, Pharrell Williams. They are the aptly-named Louis Vuitton Millionaire Sunglasses, which retail for $1,000 and are inspired by --what else?-- "Scarface."

The Continuing Saga of Kanye's New Shades

hose foolish, non-functioning white Alain Mikli sunglasses of Kanye's just will not go away. They are now considered so essential to Mr. West's look, that they have been included as preliminary album art for his new record, Graduation.

Courtesy of New York Magazine:

"The just-released cover for Kanye West's Graduation shows Kanye's trademark bruin, manga-ized, being launched out of some kind of floating university in the sky. As a statement of purpose, it's a little confused and busy; what is Kanye saying, exactly? That's he's finally ready for the world? Surely that was true two blockbuster albums ago. That he's boldly sailing into the unknown? As space age as these tracks might be, we don't think they're going to sound so unfamiliar to fans of Kanye and his contemporaries.

All Graduation's cover really says, we think, is that Kanye's copped a new style. Created by Japanese artist Takashi Murakami — who curated the revelatory "Little Boy" show at the Japan Society in 2005 — the cover reflects West's recent stylistic infatuation with contemporary Japanese art and anime (an infatuation made clear in the "Stronger" video, which is peppered with anime-influenced visuals and scrawled Japanese characters). But if that's all his cover was going to say, we sort of wish he'd just stuck with the iconic promo art Murakami created for him earlier this year, of the bear in Kanye's venetian-blind sunglasses. Now that's a cover that says something: specifically, "Check it out, I got some new shades!""

[Source: NYMag]

For further FlashyShades coverage of Kanye's and Alain Mikli's collaboration, click here.

K.West Redux

o follow up on my Kanye West/Alain Mikli collabo post, don't expect to get your hands on those white lensless frames anytime soon without laying out some serious cash. Anyone have $1500 handy? [See: 80s Trends That Don't Kill Us Only Make Us Stronger]


[Photo: MSN.uk.com]


The Dallas Morning News quotes Mikli's PR people:

"The glasses aren't featured on the company's website as these are new and very, VERY special custom order. Readers will have an easier time if they just call the toll free number and inquire: 1-800-829-8032."

[Source: Dallas Morning News]

80s Trends That Don't Kill Us Only Make Us Stronger

lain Mikli has lent his considerable talents to hip hop's biggest rock star, Kanye West. Their collabo resulted in the below lens-free sunglasses.

Sophie Raubiet, General Manager for Alain Mikli boutiques tells PEOPLE, “this collaboration was such a positive experience for both Alain Mikli and Kanye West. It’s officially marked the beginning of future partnerships they are looking to do together.”

[Source: People]



While I won't be rocking these particular shades any time soon, I have to admit I'm curious to see what flashy shades their alliance will yield.

After all, even the princes are intrigued.

[Source: People]

Stellllllllllllaaaaa [Spring/Summer 2007]

tella McCartney showed her Spring/Summer 2007 Ready to Wear line in Paris on Thursday of last week. The collection was heralded for its breezy, Californian vibe.

Though there were only a few pairs of sunglasses in the show, they were interesting without bordering on the absurd.


[Source: Style.com]

I think Safilo Group has done a tremendous job with her eyewear collection. The frames reflect her funky, pared down style. Of Ms. McCartney's shades, Safilo's website states:

"The latest Stella McCartney sunglasses collection offers a decidedly sensual feel and vintage spirit conveyed through large frames, harmonious combinations of materials and retro influences, in a perfect seventies style."

[Source: Safilo]

Sir Paul would be proud!

PS - Kanye West was there. With his sunglasses. And his skeleton suit.

[Source: Vogue.co.uk, ThePianoPages]

Flashtacular

harrell Williams and Kanye West performed live today at New York City's Bryant Park for "Good Morning America."



I couldn't decipher the precise make/model of their shades, but I'm going to go out on a limb here and venture to guess that Kkan, the Louis Vuitton Don, and Little Skateboard P, LV's latest pretty face/design impresario would remain brand loyal.
[Source: ABC News]

Pharrell on having my dream job:

Williams says, "You have to understand, I am just a regular dude. At the end of the day, this is all an incredible dream come true.

"Marc [Jacobs] had seen a few pictures of me in sunglasses. He wanted to know what my take on sunglasses would be like for Louis Vuitton. "He pretty much let me go into my own world. I thought that was great. At the end of the day, he is Marc Jacobs and it is Louis Vuitton, and who am I for that matter?"