*A.P.C. founder Jean Touitou may have been paying tribute to Kanye West and Jay Z’s 2011 hit song “N****s in Paris,” but he is getting the wrong kind of attention for repeatedly using the N-word.
According to Style.com, Touitou’s actions came during A.P.C.’s fall menswear presentation while he presented the brand’s spring 2015 collection. The collection, titled “Last N****s in Paris,” is a nod to “N****s in Paris” and the 1972 film Last Tango in Paris. Items modeled in the collection, a collaboration with Timberland, include camel overcoats and A.P.C.-designed Timberlands.
Style.com noted that Touitou held up a sign that said, “Last Ni##@$ IN PARIS,” as he introduced his new line. The following is the site’s recap of what Touitou said during his presentation:
“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. [Nervous laughter from audience.] Oh, I am glad some people laughed with me. 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…”
For anyone wondering if Touitou had reservations about what he said, don’t worry. Touitou addressed the situation with a follow-up statement to Style.com, saying that West, his former A.P.C. collaborator, gave his approval to ahead with the idea.
“I am friends with Kanye [West, who recorded “Ni**as in Paris” with Jay Z], 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,” Touitou. “As a matter of fact, when I came up with this idea, I wrote to him, with the picture of the look and the name I was giving to it, and he wrote back immediately saying something like, ‘I love this vibe.’”
So what do you think? Was Yeezy’s approval enough or did Touitou go too far?
Sound off below:
