Chitose Abe, the visionary behind sacai, draws inspiration from James Dean‘s views on discovery for the Men’s Spring Summer 2025 and Women’s Spring 2025 collections. Following Dean’s spirit of curiosity, honesty, freedom, and innocent naivety, Abe creatively explores redefining of classic silhouettes and proportions. This season, she continues her pursuit of hybridization, merging different elements for innovative outcomes. Her approach reinvents and enriches the familiar, offering new, unexpected experiences.
For the women’s line, Abe introduces a powerful, architectural dimension to traditional forms. Strong, pronounced shoulders and pants with exaggerated volumes are applied to classic clothing archetypes, transforming them into bold statements of modern femininity. These designs reflect a sculptural quality, where each piece is crafted for aesthetic appeal but also as a manifestation of strength and independence.
In the men’s collection, Abe takes a nostalgic yet fresh approach by reinterpreting James Dean’s iconic Harrington jacket. She gives it sacai’s unique aesthetic, blending it with charming vintage prints of cars and flowers. This hybridization pays homage to Dean’s style while adding a layer of sacai’s innovation. Models accessorized with books and glasses reference academia and youth, suggesting a narrative of ongoing discovery and intellectual engagement.
The collaboration with Levi’s® reimagines denim. By merging the iconic Type I, II, and III jackets with denim pants, Abe creates a unified garment that exemplifies sacai’s design hybridization. These pieces, sculpted and waisted, maintain the rugged essence of Levi’s® while introducing sacai’s voluminous, transformative styling.
This season also sees sacai collaborating with Japan’s WTAPS for a military-inspired aesthetic. Additionally, the traditional J.M. Weston penny loafers are reworked into something distinctly contemporary. Meanwhile, the partnership with Nike introduces the Zegamadome sneaker.
The set design for the collection draws inspiration from Dennis Stock’s iconic photograph of James Dean in front of his childhood home, which perfectly complements the collection’s theme of youthful exploration and coming of age. As models emerge one by one from the deconstructed set, they personify the journey of growth and self-discovery. Take a closer look at the sacai Men’s SS25 Women’s Spring 25 collections in the Gallery below:
Sacai womenswear is on a whole nother level! I adore this!