Sebastian Pielles captures Kenneth Ize FW20 Paris Fashion Week debut backstage in this Fucking Young Exclusive!

Designer Kenneth Ize first appeared on our radars a few seasons ago with his reinterpretations of Nigerian craft, and it was his immaculate genderless woven pieces that caught our attention. He transformed heritage craftsmanship into luxury pieces in the day and age of fast fashion and streetwear. This didn’t go unnoticed as last year he made it to the semi-finals of the prestigious LVMH Prize with Naomi as one of his biggest supporters and onto BOF’s 500.

We were delighted to see him make his debut on the official Paris Fashion Week calendar, although it was women’s week, we were sure he would go back to his menswear roots and give us a few looks. The show was a strong kick-off to the week and a much-needed breath of fresh air. Ize splits time with his studio in Lagos and influences the creative arts curriculum in local schools to create traditional fashion. While fashion is looking for solutions to many of the larger problems, Ize might be onto something much bigger than we think.