KENZO FW23 Fuses Traditional Japanese Constructions With American Workwear and British Attitudes

Paying homage to the late Dame Vivienne Westwood, whose provocative styles have long influenced Nigo’s approach.

Fashion
8.0K 1 Comments

One year at the House’s helm, Nigo’s KENZO is coming into focus. Inside Salle Pleyel, the visionary’s Fall/Winter 2023 designs marched through the venue’s massive concert hall to the 1966 Quartet’s string renditions of The Beatles. There, a star-studded glitterati (namely, Lisa Rinna, Erika Jayne, Mia Khalifa, Tyga, Pusha T and Pharrell, among others) entered “The White Album,” a men’s and women’s collection that adventures across global cultures, time periods and style tropes.

For this season, Nigo examines the familiarities and the contrasts between his reality and the world of Kenzo Takada. Building on the Maison’s archives, the designer fuses Takada’s 1980s portfolio with contemporary iterations influenced by British, American and Japanese street culture. Balanced by the dialogue between traditional Japanese design codes and classic American workwear, the collection lets Nigo’s original structures define KENZO’s modern identity. And, it echoes the unequivocal legacy of Dame Vivienne Westwood, whose work holds a critical influence over Nigo’s process.

Across the line, tailoring calls on different eras: collarless tunic jackets, tapered trousers and mini-skirts reference 1960s suiting silhouettes, while ’80s-inspired shapes recall the decades’ b-boy culture. While different in their construction, each design is similar in its approach, as Nigo blends Western design codes with Japanese martial arts grammar. A ’70s leather coat becomes new with patchwork shearling inspired by American military codes, while denim washes mimic those of the ’90s.

Traditional Japanese uniforms inspire Y-shaped coat closures, while oversized skirts resemble Great Britain’s kilts. Nylon, knitwear and jersey are balanced by British, Scottish, and Italian wools, jacquard, velvets and fil coupé, in the collection’s expansive textile discussion. Cableknit sweaters comprise Irish Donegal tweed, and the brand’s fair isle explodes with color across 3D-knitted, lurex-threaded manifestation.

Overall, the collection celebrates global identities and their artisanal differences, all under the legacy of Kenzo Takada. To celebrate the FW23 collection, VIP and front-row guest, Lil Baby performed a set at the after-party for guests alike, immediately following the show. Take a look at the performance below.

Peruse KENZO’s FW23 collection in the gallery above, and discover more Paris Fashion Week FW23 content on Hypebeast.

Elsewhere, COMME des GARÇONS HOMME PLUS’ FW23 collection relies on deconstruction and reconstruction.

Read Full Article

What to Read Next

Kenzo FW25 Fell Down The Rabbit Hole
Fashion

Kenzo FW25 Fell Down The Rabbit Hole

Creative director Nigo brought 80s pop-art back to the runway in a morning after meets Saville Row collection.

NIGO Enlists Futura for KENZO FW25 Collection
Fashion

NIGO Enlists Futura for KENZO FW25 Collection

NIGO dives into his personal experiences and relationship with Futura, Japan, Paris and beyond to inform the key motifs of this collection.

Bianca Saunders FW25 Exists in Dichotomies
Fashion

Bianca Saunders FW25 Exists in Dichotomies

In Paris, the London designer had vintage Jamaican dance sequences, artist Steven Parrino’s slashed paintings and photographer Robert Longo’s “Men in the Cities” series tacked on her moodboard.


Issey Miyake FW25 Starts With a Piece of Cloth
Fashion

Issey Miyake FW25 Starts With a Piece of Cloth

The label’s IM MEN line studied the connection between the body and fabric, altering its approach to form-making through a series of textile-specific capsules.

The Brain Dead x ASICS GEL-Nimbus 9 Launches Next Week
Footwear

The Brain Dead x ASICS GEL-Nimbus 9 Launches Next Week

Two flashy colorways that will make a statement with every wear.

MIMA Will Spotlight the Connection Between Art and Boxing in New Exhibition
Art

MIMA Will Spotlight the Connection Between Art and Boxing in New Exhibition

On view in Brussels from February 3 to May 28.

Jimin Named Dior's Global Ambassador and Christie's Auctions André Leon Talley's Personal Collection in This Week's Top Fashion News
Fashion 

Jimin Named Dior's Global Ambassador and Christie's Auctions André Leon Talley's Personal Collection in This Week's Top Fashion News

Plus all the latest from the men’s shows in Milan and Paris.

Botter FW23 Showcases a New Wave of Caribbean Couture Spirit
Fashion

Botter FW23 Showcases a New Wave of Caribbean Couture Spirit

Presenting a concept sneaker with Reebok on the runway.

Kim Jones Redefines the Present Day Masculine Silhouette With Dior FW23
Fashion

Kim Jones Redefines the Present Day Masculine Silhouette With Dior FW23

The collection pays homage to the late Yves Saint Laurent by intertwining old and new tailoring traditions.


Latest ‘Hogwarts Legacy’ Trailer Offers a Glimpse Into the Magic-Filled Wizarding World
Gaming

Latest ‘Hogwarts Legacy’ Trailer Offers a Glimpse Into the Magic-Filled Wizarding World

The game is set at Hogwarts in the year 1890.

COMME des GARÇONS HOMME PLUS FW23 Relies on Deconstruction and Reconstruction
Fashion

COMME des GARÇONS HOMME PLUS FW23 Relies on Deconstruction and Reconstruction

Unconventional cuts turn formalwear avant-garde.

Genre-Bending Artist Amber Park Launches PLAY! POP! GO!
Fashion

Genre-Bending Artist Amber Park Launches PLAY! POP! GO!

The fashion-tech platform readies an apparel collection for the next generation of creators.

Love Lasts 'Forever' in Adam Parker Smith’s Latest Edition With Louis Buhl & Co.
Art

Love Lasts 'Forever' in Adam Parker Smith’s Latest Edition With Louis Buhl & Co.

Just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Official Images Of the Nike Zoom Vapor Tour AJ3 "Racer Blue"
Footwear

Official Images Of the Nike Zoom Vapor Tour AJ3 "Racer Blue"

Tennis and hoops collide again on Roger Federer’s former signature sneaker.

More ▾