Part of Kanye West’s creative genius is his ability to surround himself and engage with talented collaborators and, furthermore, an unabashed ability for self reference. Those elements of his persona - or personality, depending on how you choose to read the musician-cum-designer - were deftly displayed in today’s presentation of YEEZY SEASON 1, a new collaborative venture between him and Adidas Originals, showcased at New York Fashion Week. A “solutions-based” clothing line, and not one that reads as particularly of the Adidas brand in the same as, say, Jeremy Scott’s ongoing line (where he reinvents its iconic tracksuit/sweater combinations), Mr West explained that “I don’t want the clothes to be the life, I want the clothes to help the life.” Of the clothes themselves, they followed Mr West’s own unique way of dressing: top-heavy silhouettes, with oversized t-shirts and sweaters that tapered to slim-leg pants, in a neutral colour palette of camel, olive and camouflage. Many of the pieces, too, are designed as unisex, and in the womenswear offering was certainly references to his wife Kim Kardashian’s pared down, skin-tight way of dressing in recent times.

Star-studded although his front-row was - Beyonce, Jay-Z, Ms Kardashian, Anna Wintour, Big Sean and Alexander Wang were in attendance - evidence of Mr West’s ongoing cultural influence could be seen in his engagement of contemporary artists. For the choreography of the show, Mr West collaborated with Vanessa Beecroft, best known for her site-specific installations using live model replicas of herself, to craft a haunting, dimly-lit set in which models moved forward in rows to afford the audience a view of the garments. Other artists, including George Condo (who recently reappropriated a Hermes bag for Ms Kardashian at the request of Mr West) and Tom Sachs were in attendance. The show’s soundtrack, co-written by Mr West, comprised credits including Cashmere Cat, Sia and Noah Goldstein.