Kenzo A/W 2014

Kenzo designers Humberto Leon and Carol Lim have been mining from the mysterious oeuvre of film director David Lynch for their last two collections, an indirect homage that came to a more marked crescendo for Winter. Rather than admiring the cutting-edge director from afar, the New York-based duo actually lassoed him in the flesh to design both the set and music for today's Paris show. The result was as creepy as you might expect: a giant wavy mirror backdrop featured a huge cadaver-like skull with punched-out eye pockets that floated eerily within a glass box. It had a horror-like element to it that was in synch, in some ways, with the Kenzo invitation: a black block whose inner core glowed like an icy blue igloo. What all of these cool effects had to do with the clothes on the runway remained somewhat of a mystery, but as a whole, the nicely produced package was all well appreciated. This was, in fact, a very strong collection for Leon and Lim, as they upgraded their signature sporty clothes into something a bit more glamorous and expensive looking. Intricate jacquards, embroideries, sequin bedazzled knitwear and elaborate printing techniques added a luxurious new layer to the collection this season. The designers relied heavily on co-ordinated separates, such as elongated skirts with matching jackets or sweaters, which gave the looks a precise air, despite their zany patterns. Quirk is this brand's new middle name, so it was good to see these designers maintaining their frenetic, street-fused spirit in patterned turtleneck sweaters, quilted suiting and oversized hooded outwear, but pushing these pieces into a more sophisticated stage.
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
JJ Martin
-
Warp Records announces its first event in over a decade at the Barbican
‘A Warp Happening,' landing 14 June, is guaranteed to be an epic day out
By Tianna Williams
-
Cure your ‘beauty burnout’ with Kindred Black’s artisanal glassware
Does a cure for ‘beauty burnout’ lie in bespoke design? The founders of Kindred Black think so. Here, they talk Wallpaper* through the brand’s latest made-to-order venture
By India Birgitta Jarvis
-
The UK AIDS Memorial Quilt will be shown at Tate Modern
The 42-panel quilt, which commemorates those affected by HIV and AIDS, will be displayed in Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall in June 2025
By Anna Solomon
-
Palace unites with Rapha to celebrate inaugural Tour de France Femmes
Marking the first time women will compete in the historic cycling race since the late 1980s, this new collaboration sees Palace Skateboards and Rapha create uniforms for both on and off the bike – including an ‘outlandish’ pair of Crocs
By Jack Moss
-
Paris Fashion Week A/W 2022: Chanel to Miu Miu
In this extended report, Wallpaper* updates you live from Paris Fashion Week A/W 2022 shows, with rolling coverage as runway events unfold
By Jack Moss
-
Scene-stealing runway sets from A/W 2022 menswear shows
A Kubrickian space odyssey at Prada; a recreation of the Pont Alexandre III in Paris at Dior; and colourful, artist-created flags at Loewe: explore the best runway sets from the A/W 2022 menswear shows
By Laura Hawkins
-
Kenzo returns to Galerie Vivienne for Nigo’s A/W 2022 show debut
For his debut, A/W 2022 Kenzo show, the brand’s new creative director Nigo chose Paris’ Galerie Vivienne, the location of founder Kenzo Takada’s first boutique
By Laura Hawkins
-
Scene-stealing runway sets from S/S 2022 womenswear shows
From giant roulette wheels to Olympic diving boards and multi-city synchronized extravaganzas – our pick of the best fashion show sets from S/S 2022 womenswear
By Laura Hawkins
-
Walk this way: navigating S/S 2021's Paris Fashion Week
How the City of Lights looked to the sartorial realities of our much changed lifestyles
By Laura Hawkins
-
Louis Vuitton A/W 2020 Paris Fashion Week Women's
By Laura Hawkins
-
Chanel A/W 2020 Paris Fashion Week Women’s
By Laura Hawkins