As the cost of living squeeze and a faltering luxury e-commerce space reshape the fashion industry, young designers are increasingly turning to established commercial brands to help bring their collections to life. Notable recent collaborations include ECCO x Sinéad O'Dwyer at Copenhagen Fashion Week, UGG x Tolu Coker, and Adidas x Labrum in London.

This kind of collaboration is something that heritage denim brand Levi's is a dab hand in. In February, Levi's partnered with London-based designer Ahluwalia, providing deadstock denim to create three unique looks. Then last year, as the brand celebrated 150 years in the jean-making business it embarked on collaborations with AMBUSH and UNDERCOVER. The latest addition to Levi's collaborative lineup is with Kiko Kostadinov.

Known for its utilitarian yet playful approach, Kiko Kostadinov feels like a natural fit for the rugged denim supplier, and the brand’s technical reinventions of uniforms and workwear, and buzzy previous collaborations with brands like Asics, Camper and Stüssy mean it was only a matter of time before Levi’s called up. 

First seen on the Paris runway earlier this year, the menswear and womenswear collections merge Kiko Kostadinov's distinctive vision with Levi’s heritage, resulting in pieces that reinterpret traditional denim in thoughtful, modern ways. For menswear, the brand revisited Levi's Engineered Jeans from the 1990s, adding diamond-shaped inserts inspired by Bulgarian motifs – with functional details like elbow and knee darts with integrated eyelets.

While its womenswear offering, led by designers Laura and Deanna Fanning, offers a fresh take on Levi’s DNA. The pieces include three-piece denim suits in deep umber tones, relaxed-fit jeans, and a jacket with oversized sleeves and a waist-cinching overlay. The brand’s fondness for fuzzy textures and stripes presents itself in washed irregular prints that appear on askew jerseys. Shearing cuffs and collars add just the right amount of cosy as we slowly approach the cooler months. 

Levi's x Kiko Kostadinov presents a new take on classic denim, offering pieces that are both functional and thoughtfully designed. The collection is now available on Levi.com, the Levi’s App, select Levi’s stores, Kiko Kostadinov Tokyo, and kikokostadinov.com.