Kanye West Reveals Why He Doesn't Smile

— -- Kanye West is not often photographed smiling.

However, it's not because he's unhappy.

"Back when I was working on Yeezus, I saw this book from the 1800s and it was velvet-covered with brass and everything," West said in a speech at a fashion event last night, according to E! News. "I looked at all these people's photos and they look so real and their outfits were incredible and they weren't smiling and people, you know the paparazzi, always come up to me, 'Why you not smiling?' and I think, not smiling makes me smile. ...When you see paintings in an old castle, people are not smiling cause it just wouldn't look as cool."

West, 37, also discussed his love of clothes, explaining that "any time we create, we're an extension of doing [God's] work on earth." He added that everyone is considered a "fashion insider."

"Everyone has some form of fashion every single day," he said. "We have the power to change the world. I believe that through design, because design is the closest to truth, problem-solving truth is the closest to love, and love is the closest thing to God, and God is love."

However, E! noted, he did smile at one point during his address. Toward the end, he noted, "I don't know if I made one f***ing good point," and grinned.