This collection began for me last November. It is my first time making clothes in Japan. It has been a journey of trials and questions, wondering if I could still make something special. That doubt shaped the work.
Japan has inspired me deeply. Rei Kawakubo has always been a force in my life. I think of a Japanese woman born in the 1940s, raised mostly by her mother after leaving her husband, carrying resilience and audacity in a world that expected her to be quiet. That spirit parallels my journey as a Black man fighting against all odds to redefine freedom. That energy flows through this collection.
The armor you will see is a symbol of protection. Even though Japan feels relatively safe, I wanted to create pieces that let you feel protected on your journey. It is also a homage to my beetle Dante, who passed away. This collection feels like starting from zero, like the first canto of Purgatorio, the beginning of a new trial towards ascension.
I want people to feel confident, strong, loved, and free in my clothes. Alongside the new collection, I will offer archive pieces, some never seen in real life, many reworked in black, a color holding all colors. Starting from black, maybe one day everything fades to white, to nothingness.
If you cannot attend the showroom, send love. If you can, I hope you feel the spirit that carried me here.
8/30-9/1 13:00 -20:00 pm
-Casper
