Alright, like I said a few weeks ago, you should be excited:
http://www.style.com/fashionshows/revie ... rss_runway"There is a story behind this offering: Designer Daiki Suzuki looked to the now-defunct brand British Khaki by Robert Lighton and the image of the British army in India, their khaki mil-spec gear commingling with bright colors and kalamkari and paisley prints. The result was a collection of contradictions. Khaki, olive drab, navy, and gray paired with bright florals, printed canvas, and jacquard; Nehru collars, harem pants, and long shirts alongside British officer jackets and double-pleated trousers. Military and workwear tend to be sober by nature, but here much fun was had in mixing and matching patterns, in unlikely fabric combos, and in the contrast between informal and exotic with formal and traditional. More challenging pieces like the wrap-and-tie wide-leg fisherman pants added irreverent fun to a jacket and tie. Numerous riffs on safari- and military-style jackets, all executed with a balance of nuance and convention, were never quite what you'd expect. Suzuki's design process begins with the fabrics, and so one of the greatest strengths here was in the materials—luxe tropical wool; soft, richly colored twill; bright nylon; linen blends; and more unique fabrics like a water-resistant striped cotton with poly backing."---
Prices are going to be ridiculous but the concept is so fresh and unique. This is something that's never been done before, and to be honest it's really the first time Daiki has fully looked beyond Americana to grasp something "else".
FYI: British Khaki was a brand that sold very well at Louis Boston, a high-end menswear store. Gary Drinkwater, a best friend of Daiki Suzuki (for nearly 30 years now) and current store owner Drinkwater's in Cambridge, MA, was a sales associate at Louis, and had experience with the brand. He had mentioned the idea of British military influence to Daiki. The idea incubated for several years and is being realized now.
"This is something nobody else can do," the designer said, standing in the showroom of his Garment District office. "Only I can do this." - Daiki Suzuki
What a statement, especially from someone who is, by all accounts, very reserved and mysterious.
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Also, since next Tuesday is the SS 2015 presentation, I'm not sure if I'll be trying on any of the gear this weekend or next week. Probably next week because IIRC the shipment date my friend got last year was basically the third week of July. I will be posting reviews of each item and fit pics if I am permitted, but there is the chance I will have to wait to do so until Nepenthes NY uploads their stuff on the blog first. This is out of respect for both the brand, my friend, and Daiki and co., who work tirelessly every year to bring out awesome stuff.