With Kiko Kostadinov, clothing rarely exists in isolation. It reacts to environment, movement, and context. The Fall/Winter 2025 narrative reinforces this idea, pushing his work beyond the runway and into landscapes that feel raw, functional, and intentionally unpolished.
Set against rural backdrops, the collection unfolds as a study in tension between practicality and abstraction. These are garments designed for wear, yet they resist predictability. Fabrics fold and shift, panels intersect at unexpected angles, and silhouettes expand beyond conventional structure. The result feels grounded and experimental at once.
The visual language draws from utilitarian archetypes – coats, tunics, knitwear – but reshapes them through distortion. A cardigan loses symmetry, its closure slightly displaced. A cape behaves like a scarf, altering proportion and movement. Each piece maintains familiarity while quietly disrupting it, echoing a design philosophy that values mutation over repetition.
This interplay becomes even more pronounced in collaboration with ASICS. Their ongoing partnership has consistently explored technical footwear, but this iteration moves further into sculptural territory. The new designs reference archival forms such as the Onitsuka Marathon Tabi, reinterpreting them through exaggerated volume and hybrid construction.
The resulting footwear occupies an unusual space. It carries the weight and protection of functional gear, yet its split-toe structure introduces a conceptual edge. The silhouette feels both familiar and alien, aligning with Kostadinov’s broader approach to design.
What defines this collection is its relationship with reality. The garments are not staged as purely conceptual objects. They are placed in motion, interacting with terrain, weather, and body. This context reinforces their purpose while highlighting their complexity.
Kostadinov does not simplify clothing for accessibility. Instead, he challenges the wearer to engage with it differently. Fit becomes fluid, proportion becomes expressive, and utility becomes a canvas for experimentation.
In this framework, the outdoors is not just a setting. It becomes part of the design language itself, shaping how garments are perceived and understood.