As the grey clouds which have descended upon Parisian skies all week cleared for a balmy summer evening, Kenzo invited guests to basque in the sun at Jardin du Palais-Royal. Never ones to do a VIP list by halves, a star-studded front row included Pharrell, Maluma, Swae Lee, Brent Faiyaz, Pusha T and French Montana. The Palais-Royal’s opulent fountain stood at the centre of the show space as models looped the pebbled runway and the meditative notes of WhoJiggi’s soundtrack set the tone for a collection ready to take us on a journey.

In a continuation of Nigo’s ongoing conversation between East and West, the Japanese designer turned to the archive of Kenzo Takada to reimagine archetypal silhouettes through the lens of Parisian sophistication and Japanese heritage. A sea of khaki looks opened proceedings, taking the form of leaf-printed suits or belted trenches, satin trousers or embellished mesh vests in a safari-chic vision. A focus on prints felt prevalent this season with vibrant peonies and bamboo forests sitting across everything from blazers to skirts, camo patterns decorated satin workwear, nylon outerwear and lightweight linen denim, and jungle foilage was reimagined as superfine embroidery.

True to the embodiment of both sides of the globe, looks transitioned from structured double-breasted tailoring and shoulder-padded bomber jackets to sporty outerwear and loose silhouettes taking shape from the tobi-shoku work pants worn by Japanese scaffolders or constructed with the idea of a fisherman’s wardrobe in mind. Varsity jackets and graphic tees were embossed with a reimagined version of the Kenzo lion, later seen brought to life as a soft toy slung over a model’s shoulder on the runway.