Kenzo Channels ‘Stars Wars’ and Kurosawa Imagery at Paris Men’s Show

Kenzo’s Fall/Winter 2024 collection, presented at Paris Men’s Fashion Week, documents the intercultural exchanges that have intervened between East and West, America and Japan, and most notably in the show, between George Lucas’ science fiction and Akira Kurosawa’s historic imagery. The two distinct ways of filmmaking combined to inspire a perfect synthesis in Kenzo’s show. The fashion label is owned by LVMH.

Kenzo’s artistic director Nigo, the DJ and record producer, already known as the founder of the streetwear brand A Bathing Ape, once again depicted the introduction of non-Western influences into Eastern culture as a key element of his imagery when designing for the fashion house founded by Kenzo Takada. For this collection, he drew inspiration from films such as Lucas’ Star Wars franchise and Kurosawa’s The Hidden Fortress.

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The Japanese designer praised the way Lucas and his costume designers drew inspiration from kimonos, samurai armor and other Japanese elements but effectively blurred the references so as not to reveal any traditional dress in particular.

Staged at the grand Bibliothèque Nationale de France on Rue Vivienne near Kenzo’s headquarters, the show featured variations of bulletproof vests, silver suits, Jedi robes and fluffy gloves that added a sci-fi yet fuzzy sheen, true to the manner of Lucas.

Aside from the pin in the brand’s signature tiger and a varsity jacket, Nigo reduced obvious branding and thus increased the sophistication.

Taking in the show were such celebrities as Rita Ora, Quavo, Pusha T, Zayn Malik and Pharrell Williams (fresh off presenting his own Louis Vuitton menswear show), along with newly announced LVMH Fashion Group president and CEO Michael Burke.

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