“It’s not too personal,” says Kiko Kostadinov of his fall 2022 menswear collection. “It’s a simple idea.” Both statements are true, but they belie the sense of self and thought present in the designer’s new offering. Officially called Xolo, after the Mexican hairless dog (a name used on account of the show being staged at the Diego Rivera Museum in Mexico City), but nicknamed City Elf by the KK team, the lineup is both signature Kiko and rife with new theories of men’s dress. This is most definitely a designer hitting his stride.
For fall, he’s pushing his ideas to the max via a series of compelling slouched trousers, some with embroideries to evoke a silver wallet chain, others with blouson pleats suspended by metal studs, and still more with pockets that jut out at the waist. Colorful leggings—“not too tasteful because then what’s the point?”—anchor long anoraks, quilted shell coats, and asymmetric polos long enough to function as dresses. Styled with rugged, pebbled leather crossbody bags that nod to the look of many of the 2000s video games Kostadinov played—you know the vibe: post-apocalyptic frontier fantasy—and sandals whose leather uppers are hidden by knitted cuffs, the Kiko guys really do look like City Elves: waify warriors from another dimension.
The throughlines are a sporty fixation on shoulder, the rounded pockets and attenuated hems of trousers, and a range of vibrant colors and rich textures that push the label away from its core black-white-neutral offering. Dainty embroideries, illustrations on cuffs that mimic the look of Kostadinov’s dog Dante, and a pink hoodie brought a little delicateness to these dudes.
Amidst the classic tailoring seen on other runways, Kostadinov’s urbanites might seem unapproachable—especially given the extremity of some of his shapes. “The beauty of what I want to do is that you need to try it on,” he said. “We could do something more obvious, but I don’t want to waste people’s time discussing something that’s just clothes.” Fashion that challenges yourself and others just might be the most Kiko idea of all.
