Once upon a time, before we came to speak in the rhythm of seasons, we dressed to survive, belong, and remember. Clothing resonated as a form of shelter, wrapping the form in signals of status, belonging, and memory. KML journey begins here — in that shared, wordless understanding of what it means to inhabit a body in the world. The debut collection in Paris unfolds like an echo of what we carry collectively, a sign of shared remembrance.
What struck me first was restraint. KML doesn’t chase relevance. As someone who understands that garments are one of humanity’s first languages, the composition and silhouettes are presented as a curated archive. The silhouettes move barefoot, grounded, as a form of elemental intimacy. A subtle parallel emerges from the black and white photographs on display of Ottoman caftan, ceremonial dresses, and royal symbolism – draped shapes as a guiding motif. The archetypes are revived and disrupted into contemporary harmonies and softened edges. Men were adorned in sharply tailored dishdasbah-inspired ensembles, grounded in a monochrome palette of black and white. Others reimagine the form, pared down to a skirt or an open-back shirt anchored in a cultural statement. The folds, cuts, and drapes are a sense of architectural ornamentation. We all need a touch of subtle extravaganza in our lives.
The idea of transformation ran quietly through the presentation. The pieces felt adaptable, almost migratory – a movement through time, place, and identity. Function dissolves into symbolism as an ongoing convo. We all love the belt trailing on the floor, hoping Prince Charming will step on it. Context matters here – following Ahmed and Razan Hassan, semi-finalists of the LVMH Prize in 2025, KML’s essence lies in the fragments of tradition, changing the paradigm of our minds. Until the next chapter.
