Kanye West: a journey through style

Kanye West performed on stage at Wembley stadium in 2007 in what would become known as 'Shutter Shades' by Alain Mikli (or Venetian Blinders). Though slated at the time, these specs were everywhere after Yeezy wore them, and have since become entirely synonymous with the hip-hop-pop artiste turned fashionable gent Photograph: Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images

Not a Halloween party bash but a Stella McCartney show in 2007. West is clearly playing it up for the photographer, but it's not really his finest sartorial hour, is it? Photograph: Rex Features

This is West dressing down in denim jacket, white T-shirt and casual slacks at a Band Of Outsiders show during New York fashion week A/W 2009. But like a fashion pro, he's gone to town with his accessories: gold watch, fancy man bag, leather gloves Photograph: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images

At New York fashion week in 2009, West does 'Michael Jackson meets Colonel Gaddafi' via a jacket that is either by Balmain (the label of 2009) or deliberately in homage to the Parisian brand Photograph: Bryan Bedder/Getty Images

Fur, leather, snake, some power hi-tops: this is how to go from hip hop to haute in one blinding flash of an ensemble. One word: mega Photograph: Sipa Press/Rex Features

It's Paris menswear fashion week 2010 and despite the fur, West is simply overshadowed and outdone by The Lagerfeld. As is Amber Rose's stomach. Sad, but true Photograph: Eric Ryan/Getty Images

If you're going to wear a necklace that has all the hallmarks of Take That during their Pray period, then frankly you've got to accessorise with one of the best dressed women of all time, haven't you? High five to Ms. Carine Roitfeld Photograph: Kristy Sparow/Getty Images

This is by far West's finest fashion hour to date: wearing a Celine (womenswear label of the moment designed by Phoebe Philo) blouse to perform at Coachella Festival in 2011 Photograph: C Flanigan/FilmMagic

Sandwiched between singer Keri Hilson and actress Vanessa Hudgens at the Jeremy Scott show in New York, West rocks Michael Jackson Thriller-era leather plus baseball cap. It's snap-worthy, but rather lacks any grown up sartorial snap Photograph: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images

Kanye West, this time sandwiched between an unlikely couple of slices (singer Ellie Goulding and actress Sienna Miller) during London fashion week. At the blockbusting Burberry show, West came as Bros. And I secretly liked it Photograph: Richard Young/Rex Features