Spring Summer 2020 Menswear

Tulcea 189/965.
00082020

At the starting gate, anticipation meets aerodynamics. The rush and wait of our post-everything existence prompts an optimist curveball for the eight Kiko Kostadinov men’s collection, presented inside the opulent ballroom of the Plaisterer’s Hall by the London Wall. Amongst the pomp and ceremony, this edifice of old Britannia provokes the abstraction of surface and line, where historical archetypes encounter Constructivist graphism.

In sportif jockey silks or fluid jerseys, jackets and tunics are spliced with contrast panelling that reflects the curvilinear pattern work seen throughout. Tinted gaudy shades of gold and spearmint, sherbet, turquoise and apricot, a swirling matrix of warped and fragmented checks is applied to tailored and sportswear pieces for a kaleidoscopic effect. Matte and shine ensembles explore equestrian shapes from the hacking jacket to a Watteau-back belted trench coat, as swooping symmetrical cuts evoke mid-century volumes in Italian virgin wool, Japanese cupro and recycled twill. Lavalliere shirts tie at the neck to extend the silhouette, exerting elegance amongst segmented two-tone denim, diamond jacquard hosiery and panelled riding shorts. Slashed armholes and raw-edge finishes emphasise the art of deconstruction, whilst drawstring storm caps and embroidered canvas feed bags embody the season’s nonsensical, boyish charm.

On foot, tall Camper riding boots and a cut-off Chelsea style are segmented in curved swatches of multi-coloured leather, whilst the fifth Kiko Kostadinov x ASICS collaboration features the first unique prototype: a FlyteFoam sole with floral tread, a curled toe and embossed checkerboard overlay.

Credits

Production: Holmes Production
Stylist: Stephen Mann
Casting: Henry Thomas at Bryant Artists
Art Direction: Jamie Andrew Reid
Hair: Kyoko Odo at Bryant Artists
Make-up: Nami Yoshida at Bryant Artists
Musical Direction: Paride Calvia
Text: Dan Thawley
Press: A.I. PR