As you're surely aware, Kanye West went on a Twitter rampage last week, defending his place in the fashion world. But he should put his money where his Tweets are, remember the critiques of his spring/summer 2012 collection, and spend a little less time defending himself and more time actually working on his line. Here are some thoughts to help him get started.
DO
Listen to the experts, especially when they’re people like Pulitzer Prize-winning fashion critic Robin Givhan and the New York Times’s Cathy Horyn. They’re not your enemies. They know what they’re talking about. If you follow their advice rather than defending your poor choices, they won't be the only ones to take note.
Use season-appropriate fabrics. In your runway debut, you used leather and fur — to be worn in spring and summer.
Make sure the pieces fit the models. In your first show, your garments looked like they were falling off the models. You said it was on purpose. Everybody else thought you needed a tailor.
Take lessons from Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Victoria Beckham, and other celebrities who have had successful turns as designers. They don’t make spectacles of themselves. They concentrate on making quality pieces that are stylish, fit well, and sell.
Stop trying so hard.
DON’T
Think you can slap together a collection in a few weeks, like you did last time. Formulate a clear plan and allow enough time to improve and execute it.
Make garments that scream for a wardrobe malfunction. Those super-deep plunging necklines were vulgar. Skin can be sexy, but nipple slips are not.
Think you can make your debut during Paris fashion week in a prime-time slot. Opt for a more commercial fashion week, like New York, and don’t try to compete with the biggies. Your name may be known, but your skills just aren’t up to par.
Go around telling top fashion editors you don’t appreciate their criticism, like you reportedly told Elle creative director Joe Zee, who didn’t even attend your show.
Indulge in obscenity-laced outbursts about people treating your fashion designer dreams as a joke, especially not at your after-party, as you did last season. Show some class.