Chitose Abe

The list of Rei Kawakubo proteges is long, varied, and distinguished, but perhaps none is currently held in such esteem as sacai founder Chitose Abe. Now approaching its 18th year of existence, Abe’s critically acclaimed label (praise has come from Anna Wintour, Karl Lagerfeld and many more) has progressed from playful gender-neutral patterns and fabrics to full-on contemporary streetwear -- all the while maintaining a clear link to her CdG roots. After linking up with the likes of Vans, Porter and Lane Crawford, sacai followed up its 2014 endeavors not only by dropping its latest evolutions of Abe’s menswear and womenswear, but by collaborating with the biggest sportswear label around: Nike. Though the co-branded partnership was sadly limited to women alone, the undertaking seamlessly fused sacai’s whimsical play on shape and texture with archival Swoosh silhouettes like the Windrunner, Dunk, and Air Max 90 -- not to mention the brand’s infinitely popular Tech Fleece sweats. Having conquered Japanese-centric fashion, streetwear, and sportswear alike, Abe’s ambitions appear to hold no bounds.