NYFW A/W 15-16: Kanye West x Adidas Originals

US rap star Kanye West returned to New York Fashion Week under the premium mass-market cloak of Adidas. Military and genderless themes form the basis of a commercially accessible collection offering strong direction for outerwear and athleisurewear.

This was West’s army of cool – 50 non-models with unique, contemporary looks all marched in unison with his vision of premium casualwear. He said the collection was inspired by the high-fashion silhouettes, colour palettes and fabric play of Raf Simons, Maison Martin Margiela and Helmut Lang. Elements of Prada’s genderless, nylon-heavy A/W 15-16 collection were also seen in nylon performance riot vests.

• Statement Outerwear: MA-1 nylon bomber jackets, flak-jacket overlays, long duster coats and shearling jackets all offer strong direction for outerwear.

• Tonal Colour: The sophisticated colour palette of soft, dirty neutrals – worn layered, tone-on-tone – updates the black and white uniform that has come to dominate athleisurewear. Flashes of coral and red among the earthy tones are especially directional.

• Natural Fibres Update Athleisurewear: The non-branded collection is refreshing in its anonymity and unisex styling, creating an urban uniform that mixes military and contemporary dance styling. The incorporation of natural fibres updates sports casualwear, which has become synonymous with synthetic fabrications. 

• Military Precision: The collection draws on the military styling and survival wear trend seen during the A/W 15-16-menswear season.

• Sneaker Direction: West’s exclusive Yes Boost sneakers – of which only 9,000 pairs were made – sold out within 10 minutes of launch on Valentine’s Day 2015. The cult designer sneaker market is prime.

New York Fashion Week runs until February 19 2015. For more on the importance of athleisurewear within the casualwear market, see our report The Future of Athleisurewear.