KAWAKEY IS A GENDER-FLUID LABEL FOUNDED BY AN ART COLLECTIVE BASED IN LONDON AND HELSINKI, LED BY FASHION AND TEXTILE DESIGNER KEY CHOW AND ARTIST-PHOTOGRAPHER JARNO LEPPÄNEN. SINCE 2016, THEIR COLLECTIVE HAS BEEN CREATING FASHION, TEXTILES, PHOTOGRAPHY, FILMS, AND PERFORMANCES - SHOWCASED WORLDWIDE AT FASHION WEEKS, FILM FESTIVALS, PERFORMANCE VENUES, AND GALLERIES.
ROOTED IN SCANDINAVIAN AND ASIAN HERITAGE, KAWAKEY REIMAGINES EVERYDAY WARDROBE STAPLES THROUGH BESPOKE FABRICS AND HAND-DRAWN PRINTS THAT EVOKE EMOTIONS AND IDEAS.
Key graduated from the Royal College of Art in London with a Master’s degree in Fashion Menswear. HE WAS NOMINATED AS ONE OF THE VOGUE TALENTS BY VOGUE ITALIA AND WAS A FINALISTS AT THE H&M DESIGN AWARD FOR HIS GRADUATE COLLECTION, WHICH WAS ALSO SELECTED FOR EXHIBITIONS AT PALAIS DE TOKYO IN PARIS AND KENSINGTON PALACE IN LONDON. AFTERWARD, HE WORKED FOR J.W. ANDERSON BEFORE FOUNDING KAWAKEY.
JARNO LEPPÄNEN, A MULTIDISCIPLINARY ARTIST, PHOTOGRAPHER, AND FILMMAKER WITH FINNISH ROOTS, HOLDS MASTER’S DEGREES IN BOTH ARTS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. HE HAND-DRAWS KAWAKEY’S PRINTS AND TRANSLATES ITS UNIQUE DESIGN LANGUAGE INTO POETIC PHOTOGRAPHY, FILMS, PERFORMANCES, AND VARIOUS OTHER PROJECTS.
KAWAkEY is committed to putting the planet and people at the core of each decision we make to work towards sustainability and commitment to positive environmental impact. find out more on positive impacTs.
