Junichi Abe, the founder and head designer of Kolor, announced his retirement during the brand’s Fall/Winter 2025 show, which was recently presented at Space Niemeyer during Paris Fashion Week Men’s and concluded with an emotional Abe taking his final bow on the runway.
As guests entered the venue, they were greeted with a heartfelt, handwritten letter from Abe and a commemorative t-shirt that read “Thank you and farewell,” expressing his gratitude for their support over the years. “This will be a special moment for me, because it will be my last show as Kolor head designer,” Abe wrote. “Even after this season, I’ll stay to support Kolor from the inside. Thank you for all these years, and I hope we will have your continued support for Kolor.”
The Japanese designer’s path to creating Kolor began at Tokyo’s prestigious Bunka Fashion College, followed by key roles at fashion powerhouses. His expertise blossomed through positions as a pattern maker at Yohji Yamamoto, Comme des Garçons and Junya Watanabe. Before starting Kolor in 2005, Abe founded PPCM in 1994, laying the groundwork for his future success. Abe is married to Chitose Abe, designer of Sacai.
Under Abe’s leadership, Kolor became synonymous with sophisticated sportswear characterized by complex textures and thoughtful layering. His architectural approach to design resulted in collections that balanced innovation with wearability. Abe’s innovative designs and unique vision garnered international acclaim, leading to an ongoing collaboration with adidas in 2015.
Recent collections have reflected personal inspirations, drawing from Abe’s renewed passion for skiing and outdoor pursuits.
A successor and new designer “will be announced very soon,” a brand representative said.
