Kenzo’s artistic director NIGO has built on his previous collection as he sets the bar for the fashion house. The Spring/Summer 2023 collection keeps in line with the ready-to-wear philosophy of its founder Kenzo Takada.
For SS23, NIGO brought a sophomore collection, expanding on youth-driven sensibility while simultaneously deconstructing Kenzo Takada’s iconography. As with his last collection, NIGO brings his unique Japanese perspective on the label’s Parisian motifs, thereby giving birth to vibrant energy in the brand’s details.
Bold colours and new interpretations of suiting and casual wear silhouettes are effortlessly combined for Spring Summer 2023. Graphics from the brand’s archives are revamped and worked into the collection to appear on tailoring, workwear, dresses, and skirts. NIGO also introduced preppy undertones to suiting silhouettes inspired by the British tailoring subculture.
Workwear took inspiration from the 1930s and 40’s American railway uniforms, while the collection continued to take design notes from previous eras, like the ‘70s and ‘80s. this was no more evident than in dress silhouettes that saw puff and flounces, adding volume to each piece.
Accessories came in the form of shoes, bags, and hats. Shoes included a new basketball shoe, as well as a running shoe that is characterized by Kenzo’s smile detail. The Mary-Jane and the high and low top loafers are included in the Smile City line, while boat shoes fuse the properties of espadrille and deck shoes. The Japanese Zori sandal comes in this collection as a rubber slide.
Bags evoke the community codes of youthful college dress. Women’s bags include the Rue Vivienne leather satchel with schoolboy fastening clips in small and medium sizes, while luggage pieces manifest in a handheld suitcase and tubular backpack.
