By Edna Louise
Photo by Marie Goujon

March 3, 2008


Paris, France - What is going on in Paris? In today’s climate of over the top media buzz around fashion shows, celebrities showing up at certain shows is the only edge that some designers and fashion houses can have over their luxury competition. That is almost until Balenciaga stepped up to the plate!

Since the late 1990’s, Balenciaga has once again become one of the most exclusive fashion brands in the world; so exclusive that it reportedly dissed Kanye West and his fiancée Alexis Phifer by refusing to allow them entry into their fashion show which took place last week during Paris fashion week.

Though Balenciaga vigorously claims this event never happened, West has been quoted on numerous online outlets including MediaOutrage.com and MediaTakeOut.com as saying, “My first love is for fashion, and I appreciate just being in a position to afford to be able to spend a week in Paris visiting shows. I totally love and respect any designer that won’t let me come to their show. It’s their show. They don’t owe me anything. I just love the clothes! Lex (his fiancee Alexis Phifer) and I are not there to take pictures. I don’t have an album about to drop. My tour is sold out. I love fashion and this is one of the funniest things we can make time for. Balenciaga is one of the illest lines right now and I don’t feel any type of way about not getting in! There’s always a catch 22 in being a celeb - your motives are always questioned - but only time will show my true love.”

In a telephone conversation with TheFashionInsider.com this morning, the Balenciaga press department passionately refuted these claims by West. In fact, they counter that West was not denied entry into the show because he had never requested invitations. They went on to say, however, that the rapper and Phifer did show up at the aft...

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