KENZO by Nigo
Spring-Summer 2025 Women’s and Men’s Collection
The study of an evolutionary wardrobe cultivated from the bridge-building perspective of a Japanese designer in Paris. The KENZO Spring-Summer 2025 Women’s and Men’s Collection reinforces and refines the culturally interwoven language developed by Nigo at the Maison. Staged on the golden soil of the Palais-Royal – a location dear to the heart of the Artistic Director – it is a natural florescence of the cross-pollination found at the core of KENZO: a stylistic ecosystem nurtured by Nigo’s creative exchange with the archives of Kenzo Takada, the dress codes of their shared Japanese heritage, and the Parisian spirit of the Maison. Cultured by time, the expression unfolds in silhouettes, constructions and techniques that become entirely their own, rendered in the vibrant colours of origami paper across re-imagined adaptations of archival motifs. In his second creative exchange with KENZO, the Japanese graphic artist Verdy – a long-time friend of Nigo – applies his animated signature to the Maison’s iconography. The show’s soundtrack was produced by WhoJiggi with additional co-production by Ero, Jaystolaa and Sekai
Silhouettes
The women’s silhouette cuts a relaxed line in garments sophisticated in construction but effortless in practice. Reinvigorating archival ideas, draped scarf dresses with fringing are interpreted in casual fabrications alongside contrast-colour wrap dresses, skirts and tops adapted from the obi, and over-dimensional skirts nipped at the waist. Inspired in cut by hanjuban – kimono undergarments – denim increases in sensuality, while outerwear imbued with kimono sleeves exudes an elegance likewise expressed in elongated crocheted evening dresses. Menswear approaches everyday archetypal garments with an East-West sensibility in sporty outerwear infused with oriental lines, relaxed four button tailoring, silhouettes derived from the fisherman’s wardrobe, and baggy satin trousers informed by the tobi-shoku worn by Japanese scaffolders.
Materials and techniques
Emblematic KENZO graphics created by Verdy are brought to life with heightened savoir-faire as tapestry jacquard on jackets, line embroidery on denim workwear, chain-stitch on varsity jackets, and in sequins and bead motifs on workwear. KENZO Peonies are interpreted in jacquards, heat-imprinted nylon cloqué in coats, laser-burning on overdyed denim, and trippy warp prints on nylon. KENZO Jungle Flowers appear as prints on mesh, crinkled polyester, fluid viscose and cotton linen. The KENZO Paris Jungle scene is realised in superfine loop-back embroidery on crêpe wool dresses and in intarsia knitwear. The KENZO Chiku-rin Camo comes to life as prints on satin workwear, technical nylon outerwear and linen denim as well as tailoring jacquards and in tonal form on kimono-inspired workwear. The KENZO Weave materialises in tailoring wool jacquards, bleached denim and prints on nylon. Fishing garments are adorned with hand-netting while hand-crocheted vests and hoodies are festooned with chunky floral glass hand-beading. Leather and suede appear faded as if blanched by the sun.
Themes and motifs
A vivid KENZO Peonies pattern reimagines an archive print of Kenzo Takada’s favourite flower in faded fluo colourways alongside a delicate KENZO Jungle Flower motif. Inspired by traditional ink-wash paintings from the archive, a KENZO Paris Jungle landscape pictures the French capital overtaken by nature, with the Eiffel Tower surrounded by dragonflies and tigers. A KENZO Chiku-rin Camo is created in the image of Japanese bamboo forests in purple, green and lime nuances. The KENZO Weave pattern informed by Hikeshi baten fireman’s jackets evolves in tonal grey and blue. Dragonflies – an ancient Japanese symbol of the refusal to retreat in the face of adversity – appear throughout the collection. Portrayed through the spirited lens of the Japanese graphic artist Verdy, the emblems of KENZO – the tiger, the elephant, the boke – feature in ready to-wear and bags.
Bags
Founded in Japanese tradition and the Maison’s archives, the season’s bag proposal spans fishing bags crafted in cotton drill and overlaid with hand-netting executed in shopper, crossbody and evening bag dimensions in yellow, red, khaki and black. A modernised version of a traditional Edo-period knapsack, a backpack features a ruched top closure that fastens with its own shoulder straps. Inspired by furoshiki folding, the 25 bag appears in crackled leather echoing the sun-blanched skins of the ready-to wear. KENZO Market bags bring to life the Maison’s emblematic characters in three dimensional fluffy form.
Shoes
Evolving the Maison’s emblematic trainer, the KENZO-Pace II sneaker is a super lightweight runner in speed-lined stabilised mesh with drawstring lacing proposed in red and white, navy, black or white. Women’s mules are crafted with soft patent leather mesh uppers rendered in the vibrant prints of the collection. Loafers with collapsible heels inspired by Japanese fisherman’s shoes are structured in soft leather with uppers interwoven in three-dimensional takes on the KENZO Weave. With further nods to coastal life, a boat shoe hybridises with a desert boot manifested in a canvas upper engulfed by a rubber sole.
Jojo
The collection features two sandals conceived through a creative dialogue with the heritage artisan Gion Naito from Kyoto, who has manufactured the characteristic zori silhouette for over a century. Embedded in Japanese culture, the casual version of sandal – known as the Jojo – converts the formal shoe traditionally worn with the kimono into a contemporary wardrobe staple. Crafted with cork maetsubo centre straps and rubber thongs on rubber-coated cork soles, a classic low Jojo is wide and voluminous in shape while a narrower Jojo is raised on an elevated sole evoking the geta.
Accessories
Saluting the hat often worn by Nigo himself, slightly magnified military caps are emblazoned with the patterns of the collection. They are joined by double-visor baseball caps and sports caps with expanded visors riffing on sunhats. Sunglasses materialise as minimised Windsor glass silhouettes as well as aviators with superimposed lenses. The KENZO characters and symbols animated by Verdy appear on small leather goods and in jewellery including metal badges and brooches as well as charm bracelets. The boke flower is forged in adjustable metal necklaces and cufflinks that can also be worn as buttons.
TAGGED :
FASHION
KENZO
DUBAI
SPRING -SUMMER
