Matthew Koma’s bold fashion move to take down Kanye West

Hilary Duff’s husband turns fashion into Holocaust aid to counter Kanye West’s controversial shirt

On February 9, Koma shared an Instagram post announcing the release of plain white T-shirts emblazoned with the phrase “F— Ye,” a direct response to West’s current stage name. The message was clear, but Koma's efforts went beyond just a protest. All proceeds from the T-shirt sales would benefit The Blue Card, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting Holocaust survivors in financial need across the United States.

The response was swift and overwhelming. Within just 48 hours, The Blue Card received an additional $18,000 in direct donations, with Koma pledging to match the proceeds from his shirt sales. “We are so grateful to Matthew Koma and to Hilary Duff for quickly springing into action and realizing that this is not OK,” said Masha Pearl, the executive director of The Blue Card. “They used fashion to get the word out and raise awareness in such an impactful way.”

This charitable effort came in response to West’s shocking antisemitic behavior earlier in the week. On February 7, the rapper launched an unprovoked tirade on X (formerly Twitter), expressing admiration for Adolf Hitler and making baseless claims about Jews being responsible for the world's problems. Shortly afterward, West’s website featured a shirt emblazoned with a swastika, prompting swift action from Shopify, who shut down the site.

Though Koma and Duff have joked about Koma’s lack of strict adherence to Jewish customs in the past, his swift and meaningful response to this crisis showcased his commitment to supporting the Jewish community. In a moment of crisis, his actions spoke louder than any words or traditional customs, making a significant impact in the fight against hate and supporting those in need.