Dior Puts on a Daytime Fashion Ballet under the Parisian Stars

Nigo's Soft Kenzo Warriors

In a fashion-forward fusion of traditional themes and streetwise flair, designer Nigo's Friday night show for Kenzo whispered of soft warriors and echoed the brand's past.

This season's collection signified a slight departure from the previous spring's focus on preppy and collegiate themes.

Nigo began fall with an reinterpretation of checks – a microscopic view transforming into blown up patterns, with silhouettes comprising broad shoulders and cascading lapels. A highlight was a pastel furry vest, resembling armor, yet with a streetwear edge. This piece, adorned with a diagonal black strap reminiscent of an Asian sword tie, encapsulated the theme of "soft warriors." Likewise, so did the martial arts-style belts adorning several women's outfits.

Nigo, Kenzo's first Japanese designer since founder Kenzo Takada, stepped into the spotlight in his January 2022 debut, marking a pivotal moment in fashion history. His journey, from the vibrant streets of A Bathing Ape to the luxurious corridors of Kenzo, reflects a shift in the industry's approach to diversity and creativity.

The parallels between Nigo and Takada are striking. Both share Japanese roots, attended the same Tokyo fashion college, and possess an East-meets-West artistic vision. Nigo's tenure at Kenzo brings a blend of his streetwear heritage and the house's traditional motifs.

Junya Watanabe's Thrift-Shop Chic

Junya Watanabe unveiled a collection that was a masterful blend of eerie mood-setting and aggressive urban fashion. The spot-lit runway, casting elongated shadows, set the stage for a show that echoed Watanabe's long-standing tradition of avant-garde experimentation and cultural fusion.

The models, sometimes adorned with black punk-styled hair and draped in billowing jewelry, walked down the runway in dark ensembles that seemed to capture the essence of Watanabe's unique design ethos.

Their attire, a chaotic yet intentional layering of styles, evoked the sense of a meticulously curated thrift shop adventure. This approach, reminiscent of Watanabe's earlier works, highlighted his ability to transform the shambolic into the sublime.

The clothes featured a mix of traditional tailoring and streetwear elements, a nod to his 2001 debut when he first merged high fashion with everyday wear. The collection's tailored jackets were reinterpreted with the house's unique perspective, blurring the lines between formal and casual.

This creative contradiction was seen in the use of unconventional fabric combinations and turning classic silhouettes into something very contemporary. The eclectic, layered pieces, seemed to embody the spirit of Watanabe's philosophy: a fusion of the traditional and the avant-garde.