Kenzo Men and Women Autumn 2022

If Pharrell Williams ever got tired of making music, and various design projects, he can always write about fashion.

He’s previewed Nigo’s first collection for Kenzo—the most anticipated men’s fashion week debut in Paris—and he’s concluded it with an aptly cinematic description.

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“It feels like a Wes Anderson movie. To me, it’s like ‘Rushmore,’ in a sense like, 1950s and 60s fashion, but through the lens of the 1980s, and shot in 2022. So it’s really cool what he’s doing,” he said before the show. “I feel like I’m going to see Margot Tenenbaum now.”

Thank you, Farrell!

Indeed, dusty colors, traditional fabrics and cheerful prints give the collection a retro patina, while the silhouettes dazzle as a neat mix of workwear and classic attire, with the occasional Western twist, and a wink to traditional Japanese attire, especially the haori jacket.

nigo also elevates the brand’s heritage of vibrant florals, including odes such as chintz on hibiscus and more abstract poppies in various looks, and are often worn from head to toe.

Best known as the founder of A Bathing Ape, and a serial fashion collaborator, Nigo is primarily considered a streetwear supplier. This confident debut showcases an impressive range, from a handsome plaid quilt coat to a sleek three-button suit in a classic menswear suit — and no sneakers.

The collection also surprises with its own signature charms, from hickory striped overalls and worker denim jackets to demure hoop skirts sprinkled with poppies.

Not to worry: There’s also plenty for the hype beast, including a new dynamite splattered tiger crest on the back of a nice varsity jacket and nylon perfecto; lots of funky headgear, from logo berets to round newsboy hats, and striped scarves resembling cartoon tigers flattened by a mill.

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Nigo is a walking encyclopedia about the late founder Kenzo Takada, and boasts an archive of hundreds of original designs from the 1980s. That period solidified his image of Kenzo, and he decided to make it his starting point.

“There’s just something about it that just feels so right for now,” Nigo, 51, said during the preview. “And maybe people of my generation will find it a bit nostalgic, but for young people, there is so much to be found at Kenzo that it would seem very fresh in inspiration from the 80s.”

Back to Pharrell, who ignored the question about Tiffany & Co project. which will come and said, “We are here to celebrate my brother Nigo today. The fact that he was able to take over a Japanese house affiliated with the LVMH group, that’s a beautiful thing.”

Launch Gallery: Kenzo RTW Fall 2022

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