Kolor sparked fresh energy with the debut collection from new creative director Taro Horiuchi, who made his runway debut this season.

In January, founder Junichi Abe stepped down after 21 years at the helm, and subsequently named Horiuchi his successor. The appointment was both long-in-the making and, perhaps, fate. Horiuchi first met Abe back in 2007, shortly after graduating from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp. He had wandered into a showroom being set up by “some Japanese guy,” as he recalled. That man turned out to be Abe. The two kept in touch ever since.

In the interim, Horiuchi launched an eponymous label as well as the secondary line TH Products, collaborated with brands like Diesel, Muji Labo, and Descente Allterrain, and was honored with the Mainichi Fashion Grand Prix New Designer Award at Tokyo Fashion Week. Abe kept an eye on Horiuchi’s work, and invited him to attend Kolor runway shows over the years.

Now, the Kolor catwalk is Horiuchi’s.

For his debut, Horiuchi delved into the brand’s archives, studying Abe’s signature approach to proportion, layering and bold color combinations. He also explored the brand’s extensive fabric library for a take on texture.

Having moved to London at the age of 15, Horiuchi says his design perspective bridges two worlds. “I have a mix of Japanese culture and European culture,” he explained. His life abroad gave him a bit of an outsider view of Japan, and he followed style and cultural developments there as “almost a foreign country,” which informed his approach to studying Kolor’s DNA.

Horiuchi remained faithful to Kolor’s house codes, blending fashion with functional utility such as nylon windbreakers, cargo shorts, and sporty bra tops in the collection.

The unusual color pairing of acid yellow and chartreuse worked without feeling too forceful, yet punched through an autumnal palette of khaki and browns.

He also tried more experimental pieces, such as a buoyant tulle train suspended from a swim ring, pillowy half-moon shapes at the hips of voluminous skirts, and dip-dyed skirts oozing with color. A light parka featured a mottled pastel print, while metallic silver surfaced in shorts, shoes, and trench coats.

Whisper-thin summer-weight wools layered over button-downs added subtle contrast, channeling a refined ’90s minimalism. Short jackets featured cutouts at the back for added breathability.

Backpacks came packed with ample pockets and straps for added urban utility, or perhaps the most glamorous camping trip in the world.

Kolor has long had a strong footing in menswear, Horiuchi noted. But while womenswear has appeared on the runway, he hopes to build it into a defining strength for the brand.

Looking ahead, Horiuchi will continue designing his own label while helming Kolor. The future is as bright as the flurouescents on the runway.