December 5, 2020: Felipe Oliveira Baptista, Creative Director of Kenzo, unveiled an exceptional collection for the Maison, originally founded by Kenzo Takada. A tribute to Mr. Takada and his equally well-known counterpart, Kansai Yamamoto, the revered Japanese designer duo gave their blessing to the collection before passing away this year. The collection is inspired by their archives and their shared passion for animalia.
The collection is created with “a burst of joy”, a homage to the incredible designers who revolutionised fashion in 1960s and 70s.
Kenzo and Yamamoto were proponents of a joyful fashion that spoke to everyone, the ultimate symbol of unrestrained, punk and liberal style. Mr. Baptista had a close affinity to the design approach of Kenzo and Yamamoto. Therefore, for this collection, he cross-referenced the designers’ archives, artworks and motifs. The collection is inspired by the fantastic bestiary of Pop felines, animal motifs, bamboo, stripes and Japanese calligraphy, giving the pieces delightful buoyancy.
The collection offers a black t-shirt with a tiger head created by Kansai Yamamoto on the front and handwritten calligraphy by the designer on the back that reads “Kenzo, Kansai, Felipe”. A trio for whom fashion is unabashedly festive.
The shoot features a group of young Parisian friends – actors, photographers and models – captured in a raw and spontaneous atmosphere, true to the spirit that resonates with the three talented designers.
The collection also offers a Kenzo x Kansai Yamamoto playlist, put together by Erick Faulkner, and available on Spotify, creating an immersive Kenzo X Kansai experience.
The collection is available in Kenzo stores globally and on Kenzo.com.
