Nigo’s new beginning at Kenzo is a success.
Nigo’s Kenzo debut in Paris on Sunday marked an exciting new chapter for the fashion house, being the first Japanese creative director to head the brand since its founder Kenzo Takada. Showing in Galerie Vivienne, the place of Kenzo’s first show 50 years ago, Nigo’s vision honours the legacy of its founder, whilst illustrating his path for the future of Kenzo, and fashion.
Titled Real-to-Wear, the collection illustrated a complete rethink and redesign of the modern wardrobe with pieces that are both freshly versatile and brightly innovative. Nigo’s idea is to transform the runway into the everyday wardrobe and combine the notions of streetwear, sportswear and formalwear into one – real-to-wear. The collection explored the DNA of the brand by bringing a fresh spin on the collegiate look. Reconstructed Japanese denim shorts, jackets and boiler suits were reorganised with a folding yellow topstitching, creating an elegant fresh spin on the denim aesthetic. Following, knitwear and bomber jackets saw university graphics stitched and patched onto them, creating a feeling of youthful excitement and easygoingness.
The rich Japanese heritage was a highlight within the collection, as Nigo’s fascination and love for Aka-e pottery translated onto garments in remixes of the decorations hand-painted by his teacher. Other elements also included pottery “workwear” such as the samue bib-like tops and the traditional hanten becoming a wrapped coat in double-faced wool or a cropped jacket in wool flannel.
This new beginning for Kenzo is a beautiful symbiose between heritage and futuristic vision and an exciting new beginning for Nigo as he explores new concepts in connecting the world through fun and beautifully crafted fashion.
