Kenzo Men's Spring Summer 2013

The Jungle Jap store opened in Paris in 1970 and it has been a touchstone for KENZO since that time. Jungle Jap provided a point of view on Parisian fashion from an Asian perspective which was extremely impactful at the time.

We looked to this seminal KENZO moment as a starting point for 2013 and considered what «jungle» means to the brand now. We live in between New York and Paris and explored how to combine those urban sensibilities in dressing with the sensory immersion of South Asian jungles where we recently traveled.

The men’s Spring-Summer collection abounds with tigers, leopards and crocodiles injected into patterns, fabric textures, beaded detailing and bold decals. We looked into abstracting jungle elements to highlight their playfulness and allure.

We focused on comfort, functionality and durability so you’ll see a looser, more fluid silhouette with oversized tees and woven dress shirts paired with deep-pleated trousers and wide knee-length shorts in a range of fabrics from cotton to lightweight nylon ideal for hot climates. There are permeable, semi translucent striped tees and reversible mesh pieces to provide coolness in the jungle and safari jackets and suits are constructed with drawstrings for the possibility of customization.

Our prints are created with tiger stripes and slashes, blurred leopard spots and basket weave as well as a new Kenzo camouflage which is offered bright jewel tones of azure, emerald and mango. Glass beaded embroidery embellishes classic sportswear pieces throughout the collection such as polos, sweatshirts and t-shirts.

Accessories include multicolored tiger stripe chukka sneakers, square toe patent leather lace-ups, ultra wide velcro strap sandals, croc-printed round sunglasses, and a canteen with harness to stay hydrated on the urban trek.