Kenzo A/W 2016

4 male models in dark clothing pose for the camera — (Image credit: Jason Lloyd-Evans)

Mood board: Kenzo was founded in Paris in 1964 by a visiting Japanese Francophile named Kenzo Takada. To this day, the label’s peppy American creative directors – retail gurus-turned-designers Carol Lim and Humberto Leon – used their time spent at music concerts in Japan and beyond as a starting point for their most recent collection. Youthful, easy separates that are an ode to the fans of idols past and present, the roomy sweatshirts emblazoned with Takada’s signature will be sure to please the label’s 1.1 million Instagram followers.

Scene setting: 100 or so choristers from the Palais Royal and Sanfoka Unit choirs opened the show, walking out onto the runway chanting lyrics from Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation. They stood in two rows in the centre of the show space performing an exclusive cover of the song reworked by American producer Daniel Lopatin and arranged by Thomas Roussel.

Best in show: The print offering for next season is vast; nagai stars, tanaka squares and graphic daisy chains were on everything from shirts to suits. Also standout were the lacquered quilted trench coats, which were cinched with wide obi belts.

A group of male models wearing burgundy &amp; pink clothing stand talking

2 male models in matching coats, 1 with ink on his face

Group of male models stood together in a studio wearing pink &amp; red clothing

INFORMATION

Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans

London based writer Dal Chodha is editor-in-chief of Archivist Addendum — a publishing project that explores the gap between fashion editorial and academe. He writes for various international titles and journals on fashion, art and culture and is a contributing editor at Wallpaper*. Chodha has been working in academic institutions for more than a decade and is Stage 1 Leader of the BA Fashion Communication and Promotion course at Central Saint Martins. In 2020 he published his first book SHOW NOTES, an original hybrid of journalism, poetry and provocation.