Kenneth Ning draws inspiration from classic dystopian films with dark cinematic plot lines for his innovative menswear line. A former alumni of Academy of Art University, Ning began his career as a design intern at Michael Kors before going on to work as an in-house designer for Macy’s private label “American Rag.” From there, Ning went to work for Calvin Klein to launch their men’s performance line before launching his namesake menswear label in the Fall 2014.
In his Spring 2018 collection, “Protocol”, Ning highlights the tension between computer hackers vs the U.S. government. The silhouettes are a lighthearted amalgamation of government uniforms stamped with an official seal and models sporting ID badges on front pockets. Ning alludes to hackers with graphic looks resembling a computer screen, like a head to toe green and black ensemble worn over a t-shirt with digital coding on the front. The two adversaries were illustrated on the runway in a contemporary way, with models donning pinstripe suits, lab coats, motorcade jackets, and a discreet amount of camouflage.
Ning’s clever deconstruction techniques had blazers and shirts skewed sideways on the body with the arm going through the neck hole and sleeves left dangling from behind. Statement collars were worn in every way imaginable. There were also plenty of oversized jackets, cropped or rolled pants, and extra long belts. The looks were paired with tough military boots by Dr. Martens to drive home Ning’s cyber “punk” attitude.
Behind the Scenes at Kenneth Ning’s Dark Fashion Fantasy
See All the Looks from the Collection
