Amber Valletta on Yeezy Season 4 Models: “I Felt Bad for the Girls”

Who better than a veteran supermodel to weigh in on the biggest modeling controversy of New York Fashion Week so far? 

Amber Valletta, who has already been busy walking for Tom Ford on Wednesday evening and making various #NYFW appearances, gave her two cents about the execution of Kanye West’s Yeezy season-four presentation yesterday at Roosevelt Island. 

“I felt bad for the girls,” she told Pret-a-Reporter during Jimmy Choo’s 20th anniversary party on Thursday night. “I think what people really need to think about is when you design something, you need to see it move and breathe. You need to think about different conditions — especially if you’re going to do a show.” 

“If you’re going to do it outside in 85-degree weather, you have to ask, ‘what are these shoes going to do?’ Or ‘can my girls walk?’ It’s important!” Considering not one, but two models faced shoe issues — one in the form of broken heels, which resulted in her being ushered down the runway by a kindly showgoer, and another whose shoes were so uncomfortable that she kicked them off mid catwalk — ‘Ye would be wise to heed Valletta’s advice in advance of Yeezy season five. “That, to me, was an oversight,” she noted. 

As for her own upcoming modeling work, the 42-year-old hinted that she might have a couple catwalks left this Fashion Week. Though her highlight so far was walking in Ford’s glamorous presentation Wednesday evening. “I’ve been working with Tom back since he had his first Gucci show back 15-20 years ago,” she said. “It’s just amazing to still have a relationship with him and be a part of his inspiration.”