How Felipe Oliveira Baptista Changed Kenzo During His Stint At The Brand
The designer, who joined Kenzo in 2019, made his mark in his short two-year gig, during a period overshadowed by the pandemic.
Two years may not be a long time for an artistic director to cement a long-term vision at a fashion house, but in that timespan, Felipe Oliveira Baptista managed to lay a new foundation at Kenzo.
So when news broke on April 26 that the Portugal-born designer and the LVMH-backed brand will be parting ways on June 30 after a two-year run that was overshadowed by the pandemic, it may come as a surprise even for seasoned industry watchers who have grown accustomed to the proverbial designer revolving door.
In 2019, Felipe Oliveira Baptista took over creative reins of Kenzo.
In a statement, Baptista, a Max Mara and Christophe Lemaire alumnus said: “I have been honoured to serve this amazing house and the legacy of its founder Kenzo Takada. I would like to thank my teams for their talent and dedication.”
While the official word as to what's next at the brand has yet to be announced – Baptista already showcased his Fall/Winter 2021 collection in late March – we take take a quick look at how Kenzo had transformed under the man in the past two years.
His predecessors Humberto Lim and Carol Leon may have paved the way for Kenzo to be a more streetwear-driven house, but Baptista took a more poetic and artful approach when it came to defining the brand's aesthetic.
Flowing silhouettes and construction became his design shorthand: for Spring/Summer 2021 (pictured), Baptista drew on the loose-fitting protective gear of beekeepers, interpreting the sense of fragility and the notion of distancing that the pandemic has brought upon our lives. Archival print of poppies and hortensias were rendered beautifully on garments and given a digital effect that seem as though they are almost melting off the fabric.
“I have never started a collection with so many questions in front of me and so many mixed feelings about the present and the future. Surely no one can expect linear answers to the current situation," said Baptista, underscoring his sensitive approach towards design. "The world is lost and everyone must try to find some sort of sense (and possible order) in it. How can one define and pretend to give answers to a reality that no one understands or fully comprehends?”
Baptista dove deep into the house codes and became a ferocious disciple of Kenzo-ism during his tenure. You witness this from the get-go with his debut collection in Fall/Winter 2020 where reintroduced the nomadic influences that informed and defined Kenzo Takada's (pictured) oeuvre. Ever since that debut collection, Baptista's bohemian style can be traced in to the use of diaphanous fabrics, billowy parkas and cocoon-like dresses in each collection.
While collaborations are dime a dozen today, the Kenzo x Kansai Yamamoto collection that Baptista launched in November 2020 was born out of his reverence and perhaps romantic idea of what two legendary Japanese fashion designers can create. The deaths of Kenzo Takada and Kansai Yamamoto within months of each other last year could never have been predicted by anyone but Baptista's showcase of their work also became a fitting tribute.
After getting the veteran designers' blessings for this collaboration early on into his gig at Kenzo, Baptista embarked on a collection that channelled their obsessions with youth culture, blending East and West influences, vivid use of animalia motifs and a joie de vivre that they were known for into a flashy punk-inspired outing.
There was always a strong sense of joy and symbolism in the way Baptista choreographed his physical shows. His debut runway show for the Fall/Winter 2020 season was held in a plastic greenhouse of sorts that evoked a time capsule of the future. He followed up that act for his apiary-themed Spring/Summer 2021 show by staging a show inside a rose garden.
To celebrate the life Kenzo Takada who passed away due to Covid-19 in October, Baptista put on a vibrant ode to the designer's work for Fall/Winter 2021 (pictured). Presented as a fashion film in March, the roughly 10 and a half minute video embodies the free spirit of the maison through dance and celebration that revolved around refreshed archival prints, silhouettes and colours.
Baptista spent eight years as creative director at Lacoste prior to joining Kenzo and honed his deftness at mashing a sporty utilitarian aesthetic with a minimalist and contemporary style.
He channelled this skill with the Kenzo Sport line which was introduced in the Fall of 2020. Sitting somewhere between performance wear and streetwear, the line is distinguishable by its "X" logo and is composed of high-tech materials. It also goes big on airy and fluid silhouettes as seen on parkas and windbreaker to give the wearer the freedom of movement.
The current Spring/Summer 2021 collection debuts a limited-edition cape in collaboration with Voited, the creator of sustainable and high performance outdoor apparel.