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 colors 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.
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-color 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.
A vivid KENZO Peonies pattern reimagines an archive print of Kenzo Takada’s favorite flower in faded fluo colorways 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.
Emblematic KENZO graphics created by Verdy are brought to life 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 realized 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 materializes 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.
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 modernized 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.
Evolving the Maison’s emblematic trainer, the KENZO-Pace II sneaker is a super lightweight runner in speed-lined stabilized 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 hybridizes with a desert boot manifested in a canvas upper engulfed by a rubber sole. 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. The casual version of the sandal – known as the Jojo – converts the formal shoe traditionally worn with the kimono into a contemporary wardrobe staple. Crafted with cork maetsubo center 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.
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 materialize as minimized Windsor glass silhouettes as well as aviators with superimposed lenses. The KENZO by Nigo Spring-Summer 2025 collection beautifully captures the essence of cross-cultural innovation, offering a vibrant and visionary take on contemporary fashion that honors its rich heritage.
View the collection in the Gallery below:
