In one of the smartest retro fashion flashbacks this season, Kenzo’s Carol Lim and Humberto Leon resurrected and interpreted the illustrator Antonio Lopez’s vision of style. Bold, disco, wildly fun, architectural. Lopez, who’s illustrations appeared in Harper’s Bazaar, was a bright star of the ’70s and ’80s who perfectly captured the mood in one of the most exciting periods in American fashion. This is the man who discovered Grace Jones while riding the subway.

But Lim and Leon understand that ’80s excess won’t necessarily fly in the Teens, and reined in some of that over-the-top styling. Instead, the folded pockets, stud trims, angular cuts and exaggerated shoulders echoed the energetic lines of one of Lopez’s illustrations, not to mention the picture of Pat Cleveland that appeared in Lopez’ oft-knocked off book “Instamatics”, which was printed on t-shirts and dresses.

Spliced prints that looked like camo, terrific denim and parachute jumpsuits, trenches and full belted dresses spoke to a retro motif but were grounded in modernism. The duo tempered silhouettes to avoid kitsch factor.

Which is not to say there weren’t looks that would make a diehard ’80s clubber’s heart sing. Like the patent black or red skirts and jog pants worn with spangled bras over feminine blouses. Or the t-shirts and sweatshirts with relaxed shoulders and t-shirt dresses — remember those? Just long t-shirts.

It was a fun, frisky collection—not to mention the nude living statues placed around the venue. It brought out the best of the ’80s and shined a light on a fashion artist whose career was short but highly influential. It only furthered Lim and Leon’s own influence in the fashion strata.

From: Harper’s BAZAAR US