Setchu’s Cross-Cultural Change of Direction
Review of Setchu Spring 2026 Men’s Fashion Show
By Angela Baidoo
THE COLLECTION
THE VIBE
Conceptual compromise, cross-cultural craft, daring deconstruction
Seeking to convey emotion without the significant outlay of a megawatt runway show (as the designer Satoshi Kuwata humbly admitted backstage to The Impression “…of course I don’t have that much money, but everyone in my team came up with this great idea which we could squeeze into a small budget”), today he defied the circumstances burgeoning talent often find themselves in. A wealth of industry-shifting ideas, but no real sustained financial support. An issue the fashion councils and fashion prize backers need to find a sustainable way to resolve.
Yet, in only his second runway show (after a stint as the guest designer for Pitti Uomo in January) he managed to create an emotional connection with what appeared as if still-life compositions of found objects relating to the inspiration behind todays show. And in the stripped-back setting of Milans Galleria Ordet guests were left guessing at the significance of a box of fishing tackle, fishing rods, woven baskets and a deconstructed white button down displayed as if part of an exhibit. It was later revealed that the former related to a trip to Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls – coincidently “one of the best destinations to catch Tiger fish” – where upon meeting the BaTonga tribe the designer decided on the integration into his collection of their basketweave construction (which he found inspiring for its randomly formed patterns), something he related back to similar styles from his own Japanese heritage. This basket weaving technique was seen across oversized hats which exploded with fringe and a particularly literal translation where the baskets were worn as skirts. This may take a season or two to catch on, but it won’t be the first time the East has been ahead of the West.
Wanting to also express more than his previous tried-and-trusted lookbook format would allow, as well as admitting half-jokingly backstage that the pressure he had been feeling from the industry to show may have gotten the better of him, Kuwata’s growing confidence in Setchu deserves to be seen in a show setting, especially as it was today, in a semi-intimate space. The meaning of Setchu i.e. to compromises, fuse, or blend differing styles, was again tested within the framework of the garment (using the word ‘fashion’ would be to reduce down the designers work into too simple a term). The button-down shirt and classic shirting fabrics were teased and pulled apart, deconstructed until they formed something new, which he further explained “I love functionality…I like to start with something timeless and every time you transform it into something [different] you find another joy”. Draped around the neck with sleeves split through the seam and left loose, a double-breasted blazer came pre-creased with adjustable zips to again open up the garment, this time through the side seams, and what first presented as a snap front shirt was in fact a blouson construction ‘gathered’ into the waist, as was revealed when the model walked past.
There was also the teasing of an underwear collection with branded elasticated waistbands layered under denim slung low on the hips. If this is the first of a category expansion, then the designer is showing an acute awareness of how to ‘blend’ commerciality with creativity.
THE DIRECTION
THE QUOTE
I did Savile Row tailoring, but it’s not draping its sculpting and this season I put in a lot of sculpting. Not just with the hard materials, as I love the folding and the draping and that’s the side of me that I want to push too.”
Satoshi Kuwata, creative director Setchu
THE WRAP UP
The Setchu brand has taken to slowly evolving with each new season, by exploring new materials (jacquards and furs) or points of interest (basket weaving). And it is through these explorations that Kuwata is revealing himself to be a designer who is unburdened by the weight of expectation that comes with his Japanese heritage, and the inevitable comparisons to designers – past and present – sure to come as he continues to hone his craft. Yet, as he candidly told us post-show “I’m not famous, so I can do whatever I want, not many people know exactly what I am – compared to the industry – so being unique is the only focus I am trying to express”, and in an industry stuck on a merry-go round of homogeneity this is a characteristic we can only hope he is able to protect.
