by Samantha Denäe

Is the N-word getting so common that EVERYBODY feels like they can use it? Apparently so since Paris fashion founder of A.P.C. likes to use it – and says it’s because of none other than Kanye West.

Hip Hop Wired reported that the founder, Jean Touitou, presented his fall line with models wearing “ghetto” Timberlands while on the runway and Touitou holding a sign that read “LAST NI**AS IN PARIS” – ummm…yeah.

After of course raising eyebrows, Touitou defended the use of the word by saying that he and Kanye West are friends.

From Style:

I call this one look Last N****s in Paris. Why? Because it’s the sweet spot when the hood—the ‘hood—meets Bertolucci’s movie Last Tango in Paris. So that’s ‘N****s in Paris’ and Last N****s in Paris…Yes, I mean, it’s nice to play with the strong signifiers. The Timberland here is a very strong ghetto signifier. In the ghetto, it is all the Timberlands, all the big chain. Not at the same time—never; it’s bad taste. So we designed Timberlands with Timberland.

 

Touitou, who drew inspiration from Ye and Jay-Z’s song “N*ggas In Paris” and the film “Last Tango In Paris” for his collection, reportedly dropped the N-word multiple times during the show, according to NecoleBitchie.

I made looks which are a cross-over of those two references: the Timberland shoes and the sweat pants are iconic of hip-hop, and the camel hair color coat, worn with nothing under it, is iconic of that precise movie. I am friends with Kanye, and he and I presented a joint collection at the same place, one year ago, and that this thing is only a homage to our friendship.

In addition to using the N-word during his collection, Touitou stated that Ye not only approved of the name of his collection, but also has a line with A.P.C. ‘s story which pretty solidifies in a way their friendship since Yeezy is all about fashion.

Kanye approving of him using the word is not surprising by any means but he should at least let him know on the appropriate way to use it while he’s grouping Black culture with “the hood” – it makes him sound racist.

What do you think about Touitou’s use of the word?

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