Apparently the whole Barneys-racial profiling controversy hasn’t turned rapper Kanye West off the luxury band.
The self-proclaimed Louis Vuitton don was spotted exiting a Barneys in Los Angeles in ripped up jeans and a Confederate flag bomber jacket, which is affiliated with his currently-on-hiatus Yeezus tour.
West has defended the use of the Confederate symbol, usually associated with slavery, for his concert tour merchandising.
“React how you want. Any energy you got is good energy. You know the confederate flag represented slavery in a way — that’s my abstract take on what I know about it. So I made the song ‘New Slaves.’ So I took the Confederate flag and made it my flag. It’s my flag now. Now what are you going to do?” said West during an interview at Los Angeles’ 97.1 AMP radio station on Monday.
“I just think people look cool in it. They look nice. And it’s colorless also,” he added. “It’s super hood and super white boy approved at the same time. That’s really what my style has always been.”
Barneys, and Kanye’s close friend and collaborator Jay Z, have been under fire for an alleged racial profiling incident which occurred in late October.
Trayon Christian, a 19-year-old college student, was reportedly arrested for buying an expensive belt at the clothes store, which authorities presumed he couldn’t afford. Christian has since sued Barneys and has returned the belt.