What kind of fashion were you rocking when you were nine years old?
If we’re being honest, most of us are hoping nobody ever digs out our old yearbooks and finds out how cringe our sense of fashion was. From the big hair of the ’80s to the oversized outfits of the ’90s, very few youngsters ever get proclaimed “best dressed” in the school yearbook.
And then there’s North West. As the oldest child of Kanye West and Kim Kardashian, she has achieved better fits at nine years old than most of will our entire lives. And she was even fashionable enough for many to dub her “best dressed” somewhere much cooler than the yearbook: Paris Fashion Week!
But what is this fashion week all about, and why did North West make such a stir? Keep reading to find out!
North West took Paris Fashion week by storm
Paris Fashion Week is a week of special fashion designer presentations held at different dates throughout the year. The event gives brands a chance to unveil new designs, models a chance to strut their stuff, and guests a chance to see and be seen.
In this case, you can file North West under the “see and be seen” category. She wasn’t competing as a model (she’d have to be at least 18 to do so). Instead, she and her chic mother were there to soak up the fashion of others while making a splash with their own chic looks.
While, Kanye West was nowhere to be seen at Paris Fashion Week this year., North West’s first outfit was arguably an homage to her famous father. She’s not just wearing any oversized blue varsity jacket: that’s actually part of Kayne’s Pastelle streetwear collection that is now defunct. And she made the jacket really pop by rocking some black trousers and black platform shoes.
North West claps back at paparazzi
This wasn’t North West’s first time attending Paris Fashion Week. But at just nine years old, she doesn’t hold back from speaking her mind at the the overwhelming attention and press coverage! This caused just as much of a sensation as her amazing outfits.
According to Newsweek, as North West exited an event with her friend Ryan Romulus, they found a crowd of paparazzi waiting for them. As she walked by, North pointedly asked the press, “Why do you have to wait for us all the time?”
To this, one photographer shouted back an answer: “Because you’re so famous. We love you, North!” Some fans who scrutinized this video thought the man shouting the answer was being more than a bit condescending to the young celeb.
It all started with a simple question. But it led to nothing less than a wild outcry from the internet.
How North West caused an outcry
Because the video of North West’s question and response went viral online, the entire exchange ended up in the court of public opinion. As usual, that particular court ended up splitting right down the middle.
Newsweek reports that some fans took North West’s side (or at least, what they saw as her side). One fan on Twitter summed up this opinion pretty succinctly: “She’s right this s*** is so weird.”
In fact, North West hates paparazzi so much, she held up a sign that said “STOP” at photographers while she was sitting in the crowd at one of the Fashion Week shows. This caused a stir of its own!
Still, most of the conversation around North West focused on her awesome outfits. And we have to admit that her different looks had more style than several elementary schools combined!
Rocking Balenciaga
Later that first day, North West dropped the colorful blue jacket in favor of a black denim jacket that sparkled and dazzled. Below that jacket, she wore an understated Balenciaga t-shirt. The black trousers and black platform shoes were still on, and she added some slick black sunglasses to the ensemble.
When comfy meets couture
On July 6th, North West attended the Balenciaga show (judging from her fashion, she’s a big fan). She wore what was arguably her most comfortable ensemble to this event: a long-sleeve t-shirt, ripped jeans, and platform Croc sandals (yes, you read that correctly). For added fangirl points, she also wore a Balenciaga minibag and kept the cool shades while adding some elegant necklaces.
Matching with mom
If North West was dressing down for the Balenciaga show, she was definitely dressing up for the Jean Paul Gaultier show. There, she and Kim Kardashian sported matching pinstripe outfits. They also sported matching nose chains!
While both wore pinstripes, North West added adding a button-up vest and tie to her ensemble along with combat boots. Between those items and her beret and sunglasses, North West is one American tourist who transformed herself into the archetypal French punk girl, and we are so here for it.