18 Jan The Cult of K*NZO set to wow Colchester
In November 2016 Paula Varjack found herself queuing at 4am outside a branch of H&M in east London to be the first in line to buy exclusive designs from Kenzo’s new collaboration with the Swedish fast fashion multinational. Five hours later she and twenty others were given ten minutes to shop a cordoned off section of the store. After paying at a till staffed by cheering applauding sales assistants, she emerged carrying the largest shopping bag she had ever carried. What is it about Kenzo?
In a world where you are who you wear, The Cult of K*NZO is an original, visually spectacular, endearing and accessible examination of consumer culture. It is also a very funny take on class, race, the ways we interact with the world, and the ways in which the world interacts with us. Whether you’re a dedicated fashion aficionado or couldn’t give a damn about designer labels, there’s plenty to enjoy in this show.
The show is coming to Colchester Arts Centre on 20 February as part of an extensive national tour that opens with a week long London run.
The Cult of K*NZO interweaves the stories of one woman’s lifelong desire for luxury and the young Kenzo Takada’s dream of becoming a fashion designer. Kenzo was one of the first men to study at fashion school in Japan and one of the first Japanese designers to come to train and design in the West. Like the “she” of the story, he was deeply drawn to high fashion. Paula Varjack became fascinated by high fashion at an early age through her mother’s magazines.
Wednesday 20 February, 8pm
Colchester Arts Centre, Church Street, CO1 1NF
£pay what you can 01206 500900 www.colchesterartscentre.com
