Kenzo Menswear Spring/Summer 2013: Narrating Passages to India

Kenzo Menswear Spring/Summer 2013

By João Paulo NUNES, London Editor

[Paris], July 14, 2012 - For those who made their way to the Maison du Judo in the Avenue de la Porte de Châtillon in Paris' 14e arrondissement to watch the runway show for Kenzo's Spring/Summer 2013 menswear collection, it was clear that the decision to use such a remote location to stage the event was symptomatic of the label's future creative and business strategic positioning.

Photos courtesy of Kenzo

Not only did the vast indoors sports arena accommodate a large audience on its tiered seating levels but the sportive atmosphere of martial arts also, and adroitly, mirrored the appreciation for Asian culture and relaxed tailoring with which Kenzo's creative directors Humberto Leon and Carol Lim have been infusing their collections.

Photos courtesy of Kenzo

Furthermore, with its relatively isolated location in the south of the French capital, the venue was a literal and metaphorical far cry from the metropolitan sophistication that Antonio Marras used to treasure (and apply with great success in his collections, one might add) when he was at the helm of the fashion house's creations until a year ago. In other words, the conscious move to have the Maison du Judo as the setting for Kenzo's latest menswear display indicated that the brand's aesthetic is moving further away from the sartorial tastes of adult males who favour sophisticated elegance in its classic sense; instead, the brand has decided to appeal to...read more