Kanye West makes appearance at Balenciaga couture show with full face covering

Balenciaga held first couture collection show in 53 years in Paris

Kanye West (centre) attended the Balenciaga Couture show in Paris on Wednesday 7 July 2021 (Balenciaga)

Kanye West made an unexpected appearance at the first Balenciaga couture show from creative director Demna Gvasalia, with his face completely obscured by a silk scarf.

The rapper sat several seats away from British racing driver Lewis Hamilton and NBA player James Harden during the label’s couture collection show in Paris on Wednesday morning.

Despite the head covering, which had a black panther baring its teeth and claws printed on it, West was easily identified by his YEEZY Foam Runners.

According to reports, he also donned what appeared to be a black version of a puffer jacket that recently debuted as part of his collaboration with GAP.

West was first seen wearing the puffer jacket, called the Round Jacket, in June, but at the time he wore a blue version. It is made from recycled nylon and priced at US$200 (approximately £145), and is currently available to US customers only on pre-order.

Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and model Bella Hadid also attended the show, which took place in Cristóbal Balenciaga’s historic salons.

The show marked Balenciaga’s return to haute couture after 53 years.

After the show, Gvasalia told British Vogue: “The pandemic made me reconnect with myself, take those months of silence and really understand what I love in this medium. And it’s not about fashion. Actually, I love clothes.

“I’ve been talking about clothes – clothes, clothes, clothes – rather than fashion and I realised that, after two weeks in my pyjamas at home, I started to dress up every morning.”

He went on to talk about the psychological impact clothes had on him and how happy they made him, adding that this led to the realisation that “this is the purpose of fashion”.

West’s appearance at the show comes several months after he and Kim Kardashian filed for divorce after almost seven years of marriage. The pair have four children together.