Cover Kenzo’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection strides down the runway with bold spontaneity, offering a thought-provoking take on high fashion (photo: Luxina.ID)
Kenzo’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection strides down the runway with bold spontaneity, offering a thought-provoking take on high fashion (photo: Luxina.ID)
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Kenzo’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection strides down the runway with bold spontaneity, offering a thought-provoking take on high fashion.
The show took place at Maxim’s, a storied Belle Époque haunt once beloved by artists and aristocrats alike – a melting pot of Parisian sophistication. As Hiroshi Fujiwara’s soundtrack set the mood in the opulent venue, artistic director Nigo orchestrated a string of unexpected encounters beneath the club’s lights.
As the first Japanese artistic director since Kenzo Takada himself, Nigo presented a collection that fused rebellious punk energy with whimsical prints and refined tailoring. It became a celebration of summer romance and unfiltered self-expression. Blooms burst across tiger-striped backdrops, silhouettes shifted between trim and voluminous, and the models marched in bowling shoes with snow globe soles, creating a dreamlike atmosphere on the runway.
Above Nigo presented a collection that fused rebellious punk energy with whimsical prints and refined tailoring (photo: KENZO)
Above Nigo presented a collection that fused rebellious punk energy with whimsical prints and refined tailoring (photo: KENZO)
Nigo presented a collection that fused rebellious punk energy with whimsical prints and refined tailoring (photo: KENZO)
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The rabbit love story introduced in the Autumn/Winter 2025 season continues here with new additions: K@li the Bunny, Quique the Tiger, and their three hybrid rabbit-tiger offspring Mimi, Jojo and Zaza. Far from being mere illustrations, these characters become symbolic; part of a universe spun from imagination, emotion and the remnants of childhood.
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Above At the heart of the collection is Nigo’s enduring affection for 90s aesthetics (photo: KENZO)
Above At the heart of the collection is Nigo’s enduring affection for 90s aesthetics (photo: KENZO)
At the heart of the collection is Nigo’s enduring affection for 90s aesthetics (photo: KENZO)
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Above At the heart of the collection is Nigo’s enduring affection for 90s aesthetics (photo: KENZO)
Above At the heart of the collection is Nigo’s enduring affection for 90s aesthetics (photo: KENZO)
At the heart of the collection is Nigo’s enduring affection for 90s aesthetics (photo: KENZO)
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At the heart of the collection is Nigo’s enduring affection for 90s aesthetics. Oversized buckles shaped into letters spell out cheeky words such as “KENZO”, “WOOF”, and “MEOW”, lending a mischievous charm. The sense of youthful joy peaks with tiger-striped jackets complete with ears and tails where fashion slips, quite deliberately, into the realm of fantasy.
Above The sense of youthful joy peaks with tiger-striped jackets complete with ears and tails (photo: KENZO)
The sense of youthful joy peaks with tiger-striped jackets complete with ears and tails (photo: KENZO)
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Above The sense of youthful joy peaks with tiger-striped jackets complete with ears and tails (photo: KENZO)
The sense of youthful joy peaks with tiger-striped jackets complete with ears and tails (photo: KENZO)
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Eclecticism takes centre stage with expressive hip-hop caps, camouflage pieces studded with mother-of-pearl buttons, and tuxedo jackets reimagined with kimono-like lapels. Chunky silhouettes are offset by delicate lace shorts, and silk scarves are layered with intent. Timeworn sensibilities peek through in painted vintage leather totes and hardy canvas bags, a nod to Nigo’s fondness for collectable relics.
The Kenzo show builds to a visual crescendo, shaped by Fujiwara’s carefully curated soundtrack. Opening with Sinatra’s My Way, the journey glides through the mellow warmth of The Beatles, brushes against 80s-era Michael Jackson, and lands with the cadence of hip-hop. Fujiwara’s sonic layering mirrors Nigo’s own approach to the collection, never static, always in motion, shifting between memory and context. The result is a deeply sensory experience not only seen, but heard and felt.
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Above The show builds to a visual crescendo, shaped by Fujiwara’s carefully curated soundtrack (photo: KENZO)
Above The show builds to a visual crescendo, shaped by Fujiwara’s carefully curated soundtrack (photo: KENZO)
The show builds to a visual crescendo, shaped by Fujiwara’s carefully curated soundtrack (photo: KENZO)
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Above The result is a deeply sensory experience – not only seen, but heard and felt (photo: KENZO)
Above The result is a deeply sensory experience – not only seen, but heard and felt (photo: KENZO)
The result is a deeply sensory experience – not only seen, but heard and felt (photo: KENZO)
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Above Contrast runs silently through the collection (photo: KENZO)
Above Contrast runs silently through the collection (photo: KENZO)
Contrast runs silently through the collection (photo: KENZO)
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Contrast runs silently through the collection. Nigo sidesteps predictable harmony, allowing textures, cuts and references to clash, echo and eventually settle into rhythm. A classic jacket finds new life in an unorthodox silhouette; rustic fabrics meet expert tailoring. Colours are pushed to the edge; combinations that defy logic yet settle with natural ease. Sophisticated jackets are worn with hip-hop hats, floral swimwear pairs with rugged embroidery. Even the rose, in all its softness, adds a layer of tension.
Kenzo Spring/Summer 2026 reads like a manifesto, a free-form exploration driven by bold visual thinking. Youthful exuberance shines through a palette of vivid colour, disassembled suiting and playful motifs. Grounding it all is sharp tailoring, rich with military nuance. The fusion of Italian precision and Japanese flair marks a direction not merely fashionable, but unforgettable.
Above Admire the Kenzo Spring/Summer Men’s 2026 collection
