All photos by Sonny Vandevelde
Chasing Rainbows by the Hour
SETCHU’s spirit is transformation—where East blurs into West, and now, South. For SS26, designer Satoshi Kuwata’s journey to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe stirs a new vitality, drawing from Africa’s misty, rainbow-chased landscapes and its instinctive, body-conscious approach to dress.
This season, SETCHU’s dialogue with global craftsmanship deepens. Collaborations with LVMH Métiers d’Art and local collectives like Jafuta Foundation and Batoka Creatives bring woven palm pieces, born from hands-on creation with local artisans. The collection feels alive, primal—garments are made to be moulded, wrapped, and reinvented. Zippers and buttons invite freestyle draping; a garment bag becomes a dress; oversized denim and cargo trousers double as skirts. Safari jackets hide handles in the collar, ready to be slung as totes.
The mix is eclectic: boxing shorts, gym bras, military jumpers, hakama pants, and shrunken blazers with peak lapels. Transparency runs through the collection, echoing the mist of the falls. Gender lines blur. Fabrics are light, punctuated by a signature rainbow tartan and elemental hues—sky blues, earth browns, and vivid rainbow shades.
SETCHU’s SS26 is playful, functional, and instinctive: dressing as primal urge, as boundless as chasing rainbows by the hour.
