Kiko Kostadinov Brings Japanese Workwear Sensibilities to Western Streetwear
“I like the idea of people misjudging you. ‘Is he homeless? Is he rich?’”
Kiko Kostadinov is still a relatively unknown name, but one that’s undeniably up-and-coming. The Bulgarian designer is still completing his MA in fashion at Central Saint Martin’s, but has already caught the eye of Robi Rodriguez, Jason Evans and collaborated with Stussy on multiple collections. His style is simple and stands between high-end clothing and contemporary workwear. He hand cuts and dyes, resulting in a raw and real aesthetic. Kostadinov is also particularly inspired by Yohji Yamamoto, and its air of strangeness. “When I first started wearing Yohji, it was a second-hand coat with lots of holes in. I like that when you wear Yohji you look strange. You don’t look expensive in it, you look scruffy. I like the idea of people misjudging you. I can feel it on the tube…they are confused, they can’t read me. ‘Is he homeless? Is he rich?’ They can’t read whether I’m wearing expensive clothes or not expensive clothes.”
Aside from interesting textures and cuts, Kostadinov insists that his brand is separate from the rest because its quality is exceptional. While he insists that other designers will eschew quality for conceptual ideas, he never does. Check out his Instagram here and anticipate the student to show his final collection come February.
