Kiko Kostadinov SS27 Distorts Materiality With "EXTROFLEXION"
The designer rejects surface narrative for structural manipulation, anchoring the collection with internal boning, Oakley eyewear, and an updated Crocs partnership.
by Joyce Li · HypebeastKiko Kostadinov has officially unveiled its Spring/Summer 2027 collection, titled “EXTROFLEXION.” Moving away from conventional graphic narratives or character-driven thematic concepts, the label delivers a rigorous exercise in pure garment architecture. The collection prioritizes textile manipulation, concealed fastenings, and an uncompromising commitment to the raw act of making clothes.
The collection takes its core philosophical and structural cue from the monochromatic, three-dimensional canvases of mid-century Italian artist Agostino Bonalumi. Adapting Bonalumi’s signature “extroflexion” technique—where hidden structural mechanisms push out from beneath a canvas to create surface tension—Kostadinov inserts internal boning under the layers of tailored blazers, articulated jackets, and raw-edged patchwork T-shirts. This creates organic, undulating protrusions that establish a distinct friction between soft drapery and rigid framing. Adornments are stripped entirely: there are no prints, no visible zippers, and all fastenings remain completely hidden behind flush fabric plackets.
The seasonal range introduces a slimmer, sharper silhouette cut closer to the body, anchored by a recurring geometric rhombus motif. This shape mutates across the neck guards of slim wool coats, cropped blousons, and asymmetric trousers featuring radiating hems. Materials dictate the styling layout, showcasing made-in-Japan silk-wool suiting with dense, seam-like indentations alongside polyurethane-coated denim that honors Bonalumi’s vinyl tempera textures. These sharp lines are softened by long, draped jersey tunics, silky nubuck tops, and oversized funnel-neck pajama shirts, all presented against a runway illuminated by a wall of curved, tensile Saori lamps designed by architect Kazuhide Takahama.
The accessory and footwear lines lean heavily into material plasticity and high-profile technical partnerships. A new eyewear project with Oakley introduces a streamlined, colored acetate take on the Terraforma model alongside a series of angular, visor-like concept pieces handmade in Oakley’s California headquarters. On the footwear front, the label updates its archival Sargo lace-up into sleek loafers and mid-cut leather boots, while debuting new ridged, debossed leather slip-ons. Finally, the house’s ongoing partnership with Crocs returns via a lighter, summer-focused model engineered with a newly developed technical lacing system and mixed-material uppers.