Runway: Kiko Kostadinov S/S 20

Kiko Kostadinov’s schedule leaves seemingly little room for sleep. Hot off the heels with his latest footwear capsule with Camper, Kostadinov presented his eighth menswear runway collection for London Fashion Week. 

For SS20, the standout designer applied his eye for the avant-garde to traditional British equestrian uniforms by twisting and refining their shapes and colors, once again challenging our notions about the archetypal human silhouette. Geometric patterns draw the viewers eye in path less traveled, changing the look in whichever direction he’s mapped out in the cut of each piece. Kostadinov, in a conversation with Vogue minutes before the show, revealed his inspiration for the Jockey-centric collection citing: “They spend a year in intense preparation for an event that takes just a few minutes, and that reminded me of the fashion industry.”

Bold prints, reflective materials, and vivid colors propelled viewers into the future, as they sat in the the ballroom of the Plaisterers’ Hall in London’s Barbican. Kostadinov recruited long running collaborators Camper and ASICs to deck out jockeys with over-the-knee boots and head-turning sneakers, accompanied by bright steeplechase socks. Following the show, Kostadinov held a warehouse party with Dazed and ASICs to celebrate another successful showing.

One of the newer faces operating an eponymous label, Kostadinov is a resurgent and refreshing force in today’s fashion landscape and shows no signs of faltering anytime soon. Who better to surface regal-inspired, equestrian wear in 2020 than him, who Vogue says is, “galloping gleefully to his own rhythm at a glorious pace, with no thought for the race unfolding around him.”