Michiko Koshino made a return to the London men’s schedule Monday, with a static presentation held in a cavernous basement at the city’s Institute of Contemporary Arts. Perching a cast of male and female models on huge speakers, Koshino clad them in the sculptural, futuristic-looking streetwear that’s defined her aesthetic since she made her name in the Nineties.
“I tried to make something comic-y, but very wearable,” said Koshino on the sidelines of the presentation, noting that she wanted the clothes’ silhouettes to resemble “cartoon animals.” In that vein, there were track tops with pumped-up sleeves in puffer fabric, and papery parkas that were gathered and ruched, so they formed what resembled a protective shell around the body.
The Japanese designer also drew on her family’s warrior ancestry, with some of her designs recalling soft armor, such as one white tracksuit with the air of a modern samurai uniform, complete with an inflatable hood — a nod to Koshino’s signature inflated coats.
With this concentrated hit of a lineup, Koshino illustrated that even after 20 years, her oeuvre still packs a youthful punch.