Nigo: Kenzo's New Man

 

With Fall 2022 shows starting up, we are bound to see some incredible clothing. So far, perhaps more incredible was the crowd at the Kenzo show in Paris. In his first show with the brand, Nigo managed to attract some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry. From classics like Kanye and Pharrell, to the new crop, like J Balvin, Gunna, and Tyler the Creator, this was one of the most celebrity studded crowds in recent years. 

What some people may not know is that Kenzo’s new artistic director, Nigo, has a foothold in the streetwear, and celebrity fashion scene. The Japanese born designer originally founded BAPE, a street wear company, in 1993. The label had become synonymous with celebrities throughout its time. Some of the more prominent wearers of the brand include Kanye West, Lil Wayne and perhaps one of their biggest supporters, Pharrell. BAPE was a streetwear brand that focused on the community’s love of logo heavy clothing, with bright colors, and the company’s branding all over each piece. In recent years, this trend has faded away, making room for a new, more minimalist and tech wear style. In the move away from logo heavy clothing, BAPE had some struggles, and in 2013, he left the company. 

Over the past few decades, Nigo has worked with major brands like Uniqlo, Billionaire Boys Club, and Human Made. Along with his clothing, Nigo also has produced music for artists. At one time he produced for the Teriyaki Boyz, and more recently worked with A$AP Rocky on a new song called "Arya," and is also working on his own studio album that will be coming out soon.

With a celebrity friend list as deep as Nigo’s, there is no mystery as to why his show was so popular amongst the world’s famous. With this attention, comes the watchful eye of the whole fashion community, and Nigo did not disappoint. The collection was well constructed, and paid homage to the company’s heritage. Nigo utilized the poppy print that had previously adorned a dress in the 1980s. Instead of a dress, he placed the print all over denim work wear. He also paid homage to his homeland. He created kimono jackets, and bibbed gingham aprons, and insisted that all denim in his collection be from Japan, due to the European factories making the fabrics “too clean.” According to Pharrell, “it's like 1950s and ’60s clothing remade in the ’80s, you know, but through the lens of the 2020s.”

Overall, the collection was beautifully done, and warranted its celebrity attendance. Nigo was able to incorporate many different aspects of fashion, while still maintaining some of the bright colors, and prints he is known for. The collection was full of beautiful denim outfits, and floral prints, which really made it pop off the screen, and set 2022 off with a bang.