Within an industry where most men were limited to fitted caps, oversized jeans, bomber jackets, jerseys & heavy chains, Kanye West brought an individuality that influenced menswear and men’s style forever.

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From the College Dropout days of knit sweaters, polos and denim jeans came a hip hop artist very different from the rest. Kanye West's style was a bit more polished and little bit smarter than the competition. As the years have gone by, we’ve seen some of the greatest collaborations and fashion moments all surrounding the very influential style icon Kanye West. Here are 10 ways that Kanye has single-handedly influenced menswear today.

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Unless you are living under a rock, you are well aware of the obsession of sneakers by hip hop legends. Kanye decided to take this obsession a bit further collaborating with the legendary brand Louis Vuitton. This marked a moment for fashion insiders and sneaker heads alike. Where designers would die to be apart of the Louis Vuitton design team, Kanye eased in and dominated, selling out before the market knew what happened. 

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With debates of celebrities in front rows came Kanye West. Not only was he participating but he slowly became a front row staple at the fashion industry’s most elite shows. Unlike any other male celebrity, Kanye quickly became a part of the fashion circle and brought his aesthetic with him. Fashion Week street style of Kanye immediately became a part of fashion week festivities and the world was watching what he was wearing. 

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We all saw the buzz of Kanye after the Benefit events after Hurricane Sandy. Those of us who were well aware of the Givenchy kilt-wearing entertainer were already well aware of the artist’s ability to create challenge. In fact, I’m confident that we weren’t even shocked but pleased with the leather get-up. 

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In a world of Jesus pieces and heavy gold chains, Kanye went a little bit south for some style tricks with his use of younger brand Burkman Bro’s woven bracelets. After Kanye’s Coachella bracelet appearance came a following of woven bracelets in the menswear world. Not only was the brand paired with Cartier, it also happened to be remarkably affordable at less than $30 for a bulk. 

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Kanye’s care for fashion certainly went against the ideals of PETA, but taught us all one lesson. There is no such thing as fashion overkill when texture is done well. No other artist, particularly in hip hop, could explore such a world and maintain their identity! 

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IDENTITY. There came a point when we all noticed that the world didn’t matter in Kanye’s quest for great style. There is a great line that exists in Mens Fashion that is very often not crossed. Kanye made very clear fashion choices that allowed him to freely jump out of this box. The lesson was clear that any man could do whatever they wanted in style and not be labeled as anything less than a man. 

While most artists and celebrities focused on real estate, cars and women as toys, Kanye went onto bigger and better things with accessories that would make Anna Wintour blush. He not only had great items but also schooled a market of men who may have never heard of brands outside of Gucci and Louis Vuitton. This had to be the greatest pointer of Kanye’s style evolution. 

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Not only was he into suiting, Kanye decided to have a suiting movement. He took that glossy three-piece suit often worn to red carpets by unexpected celebrities and found a way to make it his own. We saw this all too well in his Rosewood movement. 

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It’s very common to see actors and actresses as muses and the faces of major fashion brands. They may become a brand ambassador for one campaign but will not remain in the fashion spectrum for long. Kanye did the exact opposite. Rather than simply becoming a face of a brand, he went on to become face amongst brands, earning the favor of the industry as an intern, shadowing heavyweight designers and creating a collection with industry support. Kanye’s voice mattered in the fashion world, a very rare feat for celebrities entering the industry. Whether it was with Anna Wintour of VOGUE, Scott Schuman of The Sartorialist, Riccardo Tisci of Givenchy or Jim Moore of GQ, Kanye became a part of the fashion crowd. 

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Kanye broke the trend of men growing up wearing the same clothing they wore when they were 19. It’s horrible to even compare, but let’s take a look at the extreme of Flavor Flav. With every man comes the opportunity to explore a style during every stage of their lives. Whether Kanye was on tour, or having dark moments, his style evolved with him. Editors, designers, fans and the world has taken note. If you have agreed with him or not, you can admit that Kanye West has had great influence in the world of menswear by simply pushing the style envelope. 

Source: Styleblazer