It all started with a harmless email Wednesday morning: an invitation to Kanye West’s album release party – in Wyoming. I’m familiar with West’s outsized celebrations: over the past few years, the impresario has unveiled the secret to new albums (or unfinished teaser tracks) and new Yeezy ready-to-wear collections time and time again in unlikely places — like Madison Square Garden or Roosevelt Island. A flight would be a first, though. However, the invitation itself raised more questions than answers. A quick chat with the rest of the editorial team about accepting West’s invitation (who’s been causing a stir with his questionable social media activities lately) to the tranquil idyll near Jackson Hole (where he’s retired). , to work on his new album) was to follow, of course, was eyed with curiosity. At the end of the day, however, I was determined to accompany the Wests to the Wild West. “You can drive,” my supervisor said, “but you have to take notes.”
As of the morning of the day of departure (at 12:44 a.m. EST to be precise), no flight, departure point, or itinerary details were announced. “Tomorrow at 10:30 am at JFK” revealed the long-awaited email from the record label. A quick glance at the weather forecast—clouds, thunderstorms, rain—and I pack a cream Victoria Beckham sweater and white jeans for the party, and a sand-colored Juicy Couture tracksuit for the flight home. For the outbound flight, I don my interpretation of Mrs. West’s flight uniform of leggings and an Adidas velor jacket (and instinctively decide to tempt fate and the foul-weather front with suede boots and a suede Birkin).
So here, at the behest of my editors-in-chief, is my chronological travel journal of subsequent events – all times are in EST except, as noted, when we switched to Central Time.
8:48 am: My car arrives and takes me to JFK’s private terminal, where I join the other media and guests on our chartered flight to Jackson Hole.
9.45 a.m.: Arriving at the terminal, we are greeted by a crowd of male and female hypebeasts, including many Germans and some very well-dressed musicians and artists. We are told that we are about to start the security check and are on our way.
10:30 a.m.: Scheduled departure time. It goes by without anyone answering.
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