LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Kanye West, the renowned rapper and fashion-forward artist, is gaining notoriety not only for his boundary-pushing attire but also for his keen interest in influencing the wardrobes of his significant others.
From Kim Kardashian to Julia Fox and most recently, Bianca Censori, almost every woman linked to Kanye has undergone a style transformation during their relationship with him.
Now, relationship experts are stepping in to analyze what some label as a major "red flag," "unhealthy" and even "narcissistic" behavior on Kanye's part.
One dating coach argues that the singer's inclination to dictate his partners' fashion stems from the mere extension to uphold his desired image.
Betsy Chung, a relationship therapist from Canada, underscores the dangers of sacrificing one's identity within a relationship. While it's natural for partners to influence one another, Chung warns that imbalance, where one partner gives up their identity, raises red flags.
This becomes particularly troubling when a pattern of such behavior recurs across "multiple relationships." Sabrina Zohar, another expert in relationships, concurs that while it's acceptable for partners' styles to impact each other, Kanye's behavior takes it to an extreme.
Is Kanye West controlling his new wife Bianca Censori?
The recent connection between Kanye and Bianca, beginning in January 2023, has been marked by unconventional outfit choices.
Bianca's noticeable physical transformation, including a drastic change in hair color, raises questions about the influence Kanye may have exerted on her style.
"This is absolutely a red flag," said Zohar, the California-based love specialist.
"True love and intimacy is formed with trust and acceptance, not trying to change someone. He is literally creating carbon copies of each [girl he dates] and controlling every aspect of their outward appearance to flex the control. This seems unhealthy to the core."
How did Kanye West change Kim Kardashian's style?
Similarly, Kanye famously revamped Kim's closet early in their relationship, documented on her reality show, 'Keeping Up With the Kardashians.'
Even after their separation, Kim admitted struggling to select outfits without the 'Stronger' artists' guidance.
"I got to a point where I would ask him for advice for everything - down to what I wear," the Skims founder explained. "Now I’m having panic attacks like, what do I wear? I think that fashion has always been something that I’ve always been really into, but I’ve never been the creative."
"I definitely see what I like but I’ve never really been the visionary. Kanye would come in and be like, 'You should do your hair like this. You should do your makeup like this.' That’s his love language, it’s clothes. And so, I always just trusted in him," said Kim.
Did Kanye West try to make Julia Fox like Kim Kardashian?
Julia, Kanye's former partner, who dated the artist briefly in early 2022, recounted that shortly after their initial meeting, the 'All of the Lights' musician undertook a complete transformation of her wardrobe.
She disclosed that following their second date, he surprised her with an entire "hotel suite full of new clothes," and shortly thereafter, he persuaded her to part with nearly all of her "old clothes."
Julia shared, "A couple days later, all my s**t was in boxes, gone. It was so cathartic," she shared. "It wasn’t like I was just packing up my old clothes, it was like I was packing up my old life."
Megan Weks, a certified relationship coach, goes as far as suggesting that Kanye's behavior aligns with narcissistic traits. "Kanye has demonstrated mental health issues and likely has a strong tendency for control and highly narcissistic attributes," she said.
"A narcissist will notice every little thing about you. If there is a crumb on your face or a wrinkle in your shirt they will be the first person to comment or tell you to take care of it," reported Daily Mail.
"Similarly they will want you, as their partner, to appear in a way publicly that bolster’s their image. Although it’s fun to show up as an attention-getting power couple, doing this at an extreme level repeatedly with different partners may demonstrate that the partner who is going through the motions for Kanye is merely a pawn in his efforts to maintain his persona.
"It’s not a sign of love and trust that the new woman in his life is making these changes. It’s done as a sort of expectation, in order to be a part of his power dynamics," she concluded.
