Festive-punk: Kenzo, Kansai, Felipe – A design trio for whom fashion is unabashedly festive

 

KENZO x KANSAI YAMAMOTO: A brilliant tribute to the incredible design talent of Kenzo Takada and Kansai Yamamoto.

The worlds of two legendary Japanese icons collide in a punk-infused celebration of life, filled with pops of color and animalia.

The two Japanese designers who came to Europe, Kenzo Takada to Paris in the 60’s and Kansai to London in the 70’s, revolutionized fashion. Felipe Oliveira Baptista, Creative Director of Kenzo, has unveiled a fantastic collaboration between the Maison founded by Kenzo Takada and his counterpart Kansai Yamamoto. The two Japanese designers and friends, who both sadly passed away this year, had given their blessing to the fashion collection, which is inspired by their archives and their shared passion for animalia in their creations.

Kenzo‘s team cross-referenced the designers’ archives, artworks and motifs.

This vibrantly colorful fashion finds inspiration in a fantastic bestiary. Pop felines, animal motifs, bamboo, stripes and Japanese calligraphy give the pieces delightful buoyancy. The collection includes 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”.

Beyond their different approaches to clothes, Kenzo’s Felipe Oliveira Baptista saw a certain affinity in the creations by the two Japanese fashion designers. Pioneering, unrestrained, punk and above all completely free, Kenzo and Yamamoto were proponents of a joyful fashion that spoke to everyone.

The shoot for the collection features a group of young Parisian friends – actors, photographers and models – captured in a raw and spontaneous atmosphere, a spirit that resonates with the three talented designers. The Kenzo x Kansai Yamamoto playlist, put together by Erick Faulkner and available on Spotify, shares a creative musical experience.