As the race for the White House unfolds in spectacular fashion, it’s hard to ignore the din from across the Atlantic in Paris. That’s perhaps why Humberto Leon and Carol Lim chose to open their Kenzo show with the American national anthem, segueing into excerpts from a speech by Killer Mike, the highly politicized rapper from Atlanta. As Americans in Paris, Lim and Leon have a unique vantage point on the Parisian house—while the French have laid claim to the idea of chic for centuries, it’s Americans who invented cool, and that’s something that Lim and Leon have understood since they founded Opening Ceremony, arguably one of the coolest stores in the world.
Though the political agenda of the soundtrack seemed jarring in the context of the show, there was a clearer message in the clothes. The quirky maximalism that’s been sweeping the runways of late hasn’t been lost on Lim and Leon, and there was a compelling kookiness in place of the sporty aesthetic the designers have favored in the past for Kenzo. Sailor Moon, the beloved anime character, was referenced in the show notes, and her charming wardrobe came through along with nods to the uniform of Japanese school girls, namely crisp white blouses with puffed sleeves and neat A-line miniskirts. It wasn’t all sweetness and light, though: The traditional nautical jacket was toughened up in leather, and the sailor-style overalls owed more to American workwear than manga cartoons.
Dangling red, white, and blue statement earrings, on the other hand, looked like the streamers used to celebrate on Election Day. Fifties housewife staples, such as cigarette pants and pumps, had rock ’n’ roll attitude, rendered in PVC and lurid shades of velvet, of which violet was one of the most eye-catching. Similarly, romantic high-collared minidresses were patchworked with a perverse but compelling combo of neon tiger stripes, floral prints, and grid-check motifs. While that eclectic mix wasn’t anything we haven’t seen before, the collection hit on some of fashion’s most important hot buttons. With their wedge-like kitten heels and animal-print finishes, the knee-high boots will certainly win the vote of women looking for a moderate yet stylish alternative to the thigh-high stiletto boot.
