MILAN, ITALY — Biography can be more or less relevant to a designer. In the case of Setchu’s Satoshi Kuwata, it seems worthwhile to point out a few details, particularly for the benefit of insiders not yet familiar with the young label.
Kuwata hails from Kyoto, Japan, home to finely sculpted, traditional fashion; he now lives and works in Milan, the birthplace of some of the world’s biggest creative trailblazers. The road from Japan to Milan included stops at Givenchy and Gareth Pugh, as well as stints in New York as an intern for various houses. All of that background is more or less legible in Kuwata’s clothes, which are shape-driven and sculpted, with a whiff of couture in both fabric choice and construction.
“I like to create something deep, not shallow,” Kuwata tells GLASS backstage, ahead of his Autumn/ Winter 2026 show. This season, he found his starting point in a serious trip to Greenland—a land defined by untouched wilderness and one of the lowest population densities on Earth—which informed the collection’s essentialism, tailoring, and functionality.
What’s more, Kuwata’s research expanded to unexpected cultural parallels, tracing connections between Inuit traditions and the Ainu shamans of northern Japan.
“The important thing about Setchu is having the balance between East and West,” he reflects. His offerings echoed Asian textures without reproducing them exactly: witness a modular approach made up of select jackets and coats featuring zippers that allow a single piece to evolve into a jacket and skirt, then into a dress, and ultimately into a crossbody bag with a strap. Volume play is the strength of this collection, but Kuwata also has a strong eye for colour, as seen across trousers and accessories.
“Our business is based on carryovers, and some of the garments embody playful functionality,” he says.
The unavoidable word is lovely. That’s not an insult; Kuwata excels at intricate silhouettes. But he clearly possesses the design lexicon to articulate a richer, brighter perspective. It’s still early days for the brand, but one thing is certain: its winsome outcomes will reach their full potential in no time.
by Chidozie Obasi
Runway images by Giovanni Giannoni