Milan Fashion Week Men’s Fall/Winter 2025: Setchu Review

Setchu Fall 2025

Setchu’s Satoshi Kuwata is an artist in every sense of the word. The meticulousness of his approach is evident in every detail of his Fall 2025 collection. Each element is deliberate, every choice steeped in intention. For a designer presenting their first full-scale show before a live audience, Kuwata delivered with a confidence that left seasoned veterans in the dust. His mastery of tailoring, honed on London’s storied Savile Row, was the collection’s undeniable triumph.

While European cultural references, from Anne Boleyn to Marie Antoinette, are familiar terrain in fashion, Kuwata’s homage to Japanese history was a real treat!

One standout piece, a silk brocade obi-kimono ensemble, was directly inspired by Genji Monogatari (The Tale of Genji), the 11th-century literary masterpiece penned by a noblewoman at Japan’s Imperial court. Chronicling the romantic escapades of Prince Genji, the tale is often hailed as the world’s first novel. “It’s essentially the original rom-com,” Kuwata quipped, “a kind of Sex and the City meets Emily in Paris, but written over a millennium ago.”

Kuwata sees history not just as a collection of figures or events, but as deeply human stories. He finds inspiration in the lives, emotions, and small gestures that often get lost when we study the past. The way he peels back those layers and then transforms them into something playful, light, and utterly wearable is the mark of a designer who truly understands both history and humanity.