After initially presenting the collection within eyeshot of the Eiffel Tower on the Passerelle Debilly, KENZO is once again parading its Spring/Summer 2024 collection through the streets of Paris.
However, this time it has photographer Keizo Kitajima and filmmaker Frank Lebon in tow, the same duo who captured the Maison’s previous Fall/Winter 2023 campaign in Japan.
The French capital’s famous architecture, monuments, and grand interiors serve as the backdrop for the SS24 campaign which is titled Planet Paris.
But despite the campaign name, this is not a full-blown ode to the city that the KENZO Maison calls home. Instead, it meshes together aspects of Japanese and French culture, a continued place of inspiration for creative director Nigo.
The BAPE founder’s ability to blend cultures has been on full display since taking the helm at KENZO, a brand founded in Paris by the Japanese designer Kenzō Takada in 1970. According to a statement by the brand, this campaign aims to embody the legacy left behind by Takada.
The collection’s playful and graphic takes on preppy clothing are inspired by City Pop, a form of upbeat Japanese pop music that peaked in popularity during the ‘80s.
Denim tailoring printed with the house’s flower motif, pleated pants with an oversized fit, and graphic sweaters styled over white shirts were among the items picked out from the SS24 collection to tell the story of this Japanese subculture being re-contextualized in Parisian environments.
The SS24 collection is available to shop now, released in tandem with this campaign, and it sees Nigo once again nail the cross-cultural chemistry at the heart of KENZO.
