New Kenzo x Kansaiyamatomo Collaboration

For his latest collection, creative director of KENZO, Felipe Oliveira Baptista has collaborated with iconic Japanese designer, Kansai Yamamoto. 

This exciting collection combines two legendary Japanese designers and celebrates their two distinctive tastes. Around the same time period in the 60s, both Kenzo and Kansai arrived in Europe. Kenzo bought his joy of nature and vibrance to the streets of Europe whilst Kansai bought his love of colorful Animalia. Together, both designers were inspired by their Japanese roots and repeatedly used traditional Japanese animals in their art and fashion. 

KENZO says “fusing Kenzo Takada’s joyful celebration of nature, a philosophy at the core of KENZO house, with Kansai Yamamoto’s Animalia obsession, the collection pays tribute to both icon’s shared enthusiastic vision of fashion - offering punk-inspired yet wearable pieces, adorned with feline artworks by Kansai Yamamoto”.

It was important to Baptista to convey the joy and freedom that both designers were passionate about. He told Vogue “I believe this is probably how both Kenzo and Kansai would have liked to be remembered. Both dedicated their lives to infusing joy into the world”. 

The collection includes t-shirts, jackets, pants and accessorises adorned with animal graphics, Japanese text and of course, bold color. But importantly to KENZO and Baptista, the garments are not only artwork, but wearable and versatile for everyday use. To show this, the collection was photographed on the streets of Paris. A team followed young Parisian friends around to capture candid and spontaneous moments to represent joy and wearability. 

When Vogue asked what piece was Babtista’s favorite he replied, “my favorite piece would be a black t-shirt with a Kansai tiger head in the front and on the back, in Japanese calligraphy handwritten by Kansai Yamatomo himself, three lines that read: Kenzo, Kansai, Felipe”. 

The collection will go on sale November 30 in honour of the two late designers. 

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