NIGO’s KENZO SS27 Collection Is Built on Ribbon Construction, Japanese Denim, and a Floor-Length Rugby Shirt
The SS27 men’s and women’s collection arrives with Converse and Paraboot partnerships alongside a deep dive into the KENZO archive.
Summary
KENZO's Spring/Summer 2027 collection under NIGO draws on Japanese denim, houndstooth, fil coupé florals, velour denim, and richly textured knitwear as its primary fabrication toolkit
Custom ribbon construction appears across jackets and skirts referencing Kenzo Takada's personal ribbon collection, while a hand-sewn dress built entirely from multicolored knitted bands extends the technique to its most labour-intensive application
Footwear collaborations with Converse and Paraboot introduce Chuck 70 and Jack Purcell interpretations alongside a reworked Paraboot Michael shoe with workwear-inspired metal detailing and bold varsity lettering
NIGO’s KENZO Spring/Summer 2027 collection positions fabrication and construction as the collection’s primary language. Presented at Place des Victoires in Paris for Paris Fashion Week, the men’s and women’s offering moves between Japanese denim tailoring, custom ribbon-built garments, fil coupé floral fabric, velour denim, and layered organza, while a set of footwear collaborations with Converse and Paraboot extends the material conversation into accessories.
The ribbon work is the collection’s most technically specific thread. Jackets and skirts are constructed entirely from custom ribbons, a method the press release ties directly to Kenzo Takada’s personal ribbon collection and to the embroidered ribbon dress he crafted to close the KENZO Fall/Winter 1982 show. The construction method reappears in less structural applications throughout: ribbon trims, collars and cuffs, tumbling bows on skirts, ribbon-informed sashes, and a dress hand-sewn from multicolored knitted bands that produces a flowing rhythm of strips and stripes. The volume of ribbon application across the collection gives it an internal consistency that operates independently of colorway or silhouette.
Japanese denim anchors the harder end of the fabrication spectrum. It appears evolved through tailoring and ribbon detailing rather than treated as raw material, positioning denim as a fabrication that absorbs other construction techniques rather than standing apart from them. Velour denim contributes additional surface depth, while houndstooth runs across both outerwear and suiting and fil coupé florals introduce a cut-weave texture to the collection’s more decorative pieces. Richly textured knitwear adds tactility throughout, with a knitted rugby shirt extended to floor-length as one of the collection’s more direct silhouette subversions.
Women’s silhouettes balance ease with structure through layered organza, flowing skirts, and babydoll dresses worn against more boyish shapes. Menswear pairs workwear construction with a striped cummerbund, producing a specific utility-to-romance contrast the press release frames as deliberate interplay. Pointed collars and dandy tailoring appear across both, with layered silhouettes drawing on imagery of Kenzo Takada and 1970s references including Miles Davis, alongside Ivy League varsity jackets, rugby shirts, heritage insignia, and collegiate ribbon motifs.
Bonsai motifs sourced from one of Kenzo Takada’s own poems appear as prints and embroideries across multiple pieces. Further prints bring the Place des Victoires itself onto fabric, drawn from an original 1976 illustration of KENZO’s legendary opening party at the square. Floral patterns range from delicate archival recreations to painterly blurred motifs.
The Victoire bag revisits an archival postman silhouette in leather, canvas, and embroidered variations. The Kite bag family expands through new colour combinations, printed pillow bags reference archival illustrations, and colorful silk scarves return as an accessory category long associated with the Maison.
For footwear, a collaboration with Converse brings new interpretations of the Chuck 70 and low-top Jack Purcell through varsity codes, delicate florals, and the bonsai motif. A first-time partnership with historic French shoemaker Paraboot reworks the iconic Michael shoe with subtle workwear-inspired metal detailing and bold varsity lettering. The collection’s own footwear line evolves through new interpretations of the ballet form, including hybrid boot silhouettes finished with small bows.
