Just before the Kenzo autumn-winter 2009 mens' fashion show, the British editor of GQ Style professed to being extremely excited, despite having been to all their shows.
He didn't know what to expect, as this new collection would be the first offering from a completely different menswear design team at Kenzo.
As soon as the show started, it was apparent that the new designers had been heavily influenced by Gestapo police uniforms and relics of world dictators and tyrants. The collection featured Russian military hats, long grey jackets held together with thick belts, short fitted trousers (rolled up at the bottom for that high-water look), brown brogues and utilitarian boots. Also featured were sheer leggings, long-johns, sweatpants and loads of layering.
The fashion house is famous for elaborate embroidery work and illusive prints, but both were notably absent from this collection. Instead, they offered layers of contrasting textures of fabrics and dashes of navy blue and black sequin (but that too was used very sparingly).
The main colours included plum, navy, khaki and grey. The accessories were minimal: large leather bags worn on the hips and small round sunglasses. T-shirts were long, more like tunics than tops. Also featured were dark print shirts worn with thin ties, and the odd bootleg trouser suit. As the models stamped out a new mandate for menwear, the overhead projectors flashed images of Russian dolls and old communist leaders and philosophers.
About 30 seconds after the last model had returned backstage, the music stopped and a band of 13 military drummers stormed onto the catwalk. Decked out in full-length double-breasted grey coats cinched in at the waist by the leather strap that held their drums fastened to their sides, there were no model citizens here, this was the real deal.
It is an impressive collection. It's strength announces a new world order. With a clear philosophy and ideology, Kenzo counts among the leaders in the realm of menswear. This is supported by a line boasting immaculate order and discipline.
The economic state of the world is crisis and what we need now is exactly that: order and discipline. There was nothing fantastical, whimsical or fairytale-like about Kenzo's collection. The new design offers pure and simple realism. And best of all: it looks great!
