An artistic synthesis of Eastern and Western aesthetics
Envisioning a cultural blend of East and West, Art Director NIGO® chose Shanghai as the stage for KENZO’s first-ever fashion show in China, reviving styles from the Paris runways to grace Chinese soil.
The KENZO x NIGO® Show
The show set sail at the Shanghai International Passenger Transport Center Wharf. This location symbolizes NIGO®’s fusion of contemporary design aesthetics and the pop-culture language first penned by Mr. Kenzo Takada. The event paid homage to “City POP,” an eclectic mix of pop, funk, and boogie that often echoed across Japanese radios during the 1980s. This cultural phenomenon, paired with the Preppy academic style, flavored NIGO®’s youth and seeped into the spirit of KENZO’s 2024 Spring/Summer collection.
The Collection
The collection pulses with design codes seamlessly merging Eastern and Western fashion closets. Reimagining judo tops as work jackets, the line-up reintroduces the classic Seigaiha wave print in rich indigo. Women’s outfits are sculpted in lightweight, airy fabrics subtly infused with patterns from the fashion archives, producing an elegant interplay of light and layers.
NIGO® also sparks a creative conversation with his friend, Japanese graphic designer and artist Verdy. They reinterpret KENZO’s logo in Verdy’s iconic typeface, stamping it on accessories and ready-to-wear pieces.
The Audience
KENZO’s Spring/Summer 2024 show attracted an array of celebrities. Among them were Tan Jianci, Ouyang Nana, Twins group members Charlene Choi (A Sa) and Gillian Chung (Gillian), Xu Weizhou, Chen Linong, Li Sidani, Huang Cancan, and Du Yuchen. Thai actor Jayler (Kritsanapoom Pibulsonggram) made a splash in the latest KENZO ensembles, interpreting the fashion wardrobe KENZO pledges to create across cultures, epochs, and styles with unique flair.
