by Giulia Piceni. Cover photo by Naufal Farras.
K-Way is more than just a brand; it’s a cultural icon and a symbol of innovation and resilience, shaping our perspective on fashion and functionality. In Y/Our Life, the latest exhibition at Museo La Permanente in Milan, highlights K-Way’s rich heritage in a contemporary context, pushing the boundaries of what a fashion exhibition can be. K-Way exhibition is an immersive experience doesn’t just showcase garments; it challenges the traditional notions of fashion exhibitions, inviting visitors to engage with fashion in entirely new ways.
Fashion exhibitions present a unique set of challenges, requiring a delicate balance between curation and scenography. Unlike art curators, who are generally discouraged from imposing too much authorial influence over an artwork, fashion curators are often expected to act as set designers, crafting immersive environments that bring garments to life. There is a fine line between interpretation and excessive authorship, as the risk of overshadowing the pieces themselves is always present.
Beyond the complexities of curation, a broader issue exists within the Italian fashion landscape. As this very exhibition demonstrates, most fashion exhibitions tend to focus on individual brands, rarely exploring the connections between different brands, movements, or larger cultural phenomena. This trend can be attributed to the chronic lack of public funding for fashion exhibitions in Italy, as well as a deeply ingrained perception that industrially produced fashion is too recent to be regarded as a true heritage. The result is that exhibition culture often prioritises corporate sponsorship over scholarly investigation, which reinforces a fragmented view of fashion history instead of positioning it within a wider cultural and artistic discourse.
K-Way exhibition: Redefining Fashion expo
The recent exhibition In Y/Our Way at the Museo della Permanente in Milan offers a unique approach to celebrating a brand’s heritage while also cementing its connections to other creative fields, such as art, design and publishing. This exhibition serves as an excellent case study for fashion curators of tomorrow, and this article will explore the specific qualities that make it noteworthy. For those who didn’t have the chance to see it in Milan, there will still be opportunities to experience the exhibition in other cities. The show is now ready to embark on a global tour, bringing its unique celebration of the brand’s heritage to audiences around the world. Following its debut at Museo La Permanente in Milan, K-Way’s In Y/Our Life exhibition is set to continue its global journey with upcoming editions in London (May 2025), Seoul (September 2025), and Art Basel in Paris (October 2025).
K-Way exhibition : A Brief History of the Iconic Brand
K-Way is an iconic fashion brand that originated in Paris in 1965, becoming well-known for its perfect blend of style and practicality. Founded by Léon-Claude Duhamel, the brand was established with a visionary idea: a lightweight, waterproof jacket that could be effortlessly folded into a pocket. Originally named “En-Cas” (meaning “in case of rain”), it was later rebranded as K-Way to better appeal to an international audience. The windbreaker quickly captured the public’s imagination, with 250,000 units sold in its debut year.
Over time, K-Way’s signature design evolved, solidifying its reputation as the go-to brand for functional yet fashionable outerwear. However, the brand faced challenges in the 1990s and was ultimately acquired by BasicNet in 2004. This marked a turning point, ushering in a period of rejuvenation where K-Way successfully merged its rich heritage with modern innovation.
In recent years, K-Way has maintained its relevance through collaborations with some of the fashion world’s biggest names. Partnerships with brands like Maison Kitsuné, Agnès b., Marc Jacobs, N°21, Lacoste, and Dsquared2 have resulted in capsule collections that blend elegance with the brand’s trademark practicality. These collaborations have revitalised the Way’s image, delivering fresh interpretations of its classic designs to a new generation of fashion enthusiasts. Additionally, a collection with Sadler’s Union further extended K-Way’s influence into the luxury market, proving that practicality and style can indeed coexist.
1. K-Way Exhibition From Heritage to Contemporary
An exhibition that relies solely on archival pieces to showcase a brand’s history risks presenting a static and nostalgic perspective. In contrast, the In Y/Our Life exhibition perfectly reflects K-Way’s evolution by bridging the past and present. It opens with historical garments and culminates in the latest designs from K-Way’s most recent runway show. This approach emphasises the brand’s enduring relevance and its ability to evolve while remaining true to its core identity.
The journey begins in a corridor lined with archival pieces that trace K-Way’s origins from 1965, when the brand revolutionised wardrobes worldwide by making its name synonymous with the windbreaker—an essential item, as practical and convenient as an umbrella. Alongside the garments, vintage advertising campaigns and video footage illustrate the brand’s transition from pure utility wear to an everyday staple embraced by generations.
This immersive pathway leads visitors to the final space: a multisensory environment that also serves as a catwalk for the latest show. In this space, weather conditions such as rain and wind are skillfully simulated through speakers and projectors, reinforcing K-Way’s essential role as a protective layer against the elements.
At the centre, a vast pool reminiscent of Pino Pascali’s Mare is illuminated by arched LED lighting that references Milan’s industrial design aesthetic. To the left of the structure, a selection of looks from the brand’s latest runway show is displayed side by side, set against a carpet that mirrors the signature hues of the logo and the colour palette of the catwalk itself.
2. Connecting Design and Cultural Innovation
K-Way embodies the refined qualities of a well-designed product—polished, sleek, and highly functional. Moreover, like many other iconic design brands, its very name has become synonymous with the product it creates. Recognising this phenomenon, curator Gianluigi Ricuperati has decided to place K-Way within a broader cultural landscape, drawing parallels with other genericised trademarks—brands whose names have transcended their corporate origins to define entire product categories.
This curatorial approach is particularly compelling as it moves beyond the traditional model of Italian fashion exhibitions, which typically focus solely on the sponsoring brands. Instead, this project seeks to foster a dialogue with a broader network of brands that have profoundly influenced our everyday lives. By incorporating these iconic names into the exhibition’s conceptual framework, the curatorial investigation expands beyond just K-Way, linking it to a lineage of design objects that have made a lasting impact on collective memory. Featured brands include Bialetti, BIC, Borotalco, Borsalino, Chupa Chups, Moleskine, Polaroid, Pongo, Post-it, Rollerblade, and Scotch.
3. A Multilayered Narrative of Fashion and Art in K-Way exhibition
Gianluigi Ricuperati has crafted a multilayered narrative that goes beyond simply showcasingthe K-Way products; it fosters a broader dialogue that encompasses fashion, design, and, ultimately, art. A diverse array of artists, from well-established names to emerging talents, have reinterpreted the heritage of the various brands featured in the design section, producing artworks that stand on their own. Olfactory artist Francesca Casale presented a piece designed to engage the sense of smell, inspired by one of the great icons of modern design: the Moka Express by Bialetti. This installation aims to showcase the invisible essence of olfactory art and evokes the scent experience of coffee, drawing inspiration from Marcel Duchamp’s Exposition Internationale du Surréalisme in 1938.
Serafin Gerber is a versatile Swiss artist and photographer who works in both fashion and documentary photography. He presented a series of Polaroid instant photographs that depict everyday life from a dreamlike perspective. By layering fragments of life, he narrates urban scenes captured across Europe, the United States, and Brazil. Tomáš Libertíny is internationally renowned for his “bee sculptures”, which are artworks created in collaboration with these delicate creatures. He paid tribute to the Moka Express by Bialetti with an exquisite example of his multispecies artistry. Olimpia Zagnoli contributed to the exhibition with a whimsical beach cabin. Its interior is encrusted with 6,800 Chupa Chups lollipops embedded in the walls, creating a sweet and visionary atmosphere brimming with hidden delights.
4. A Catalogue for an Exhibition? Try a Magazine
A magazine serves as a natural habitat for fashion-related material, making it an exceptionally coherent and strategic choice for this exhibition. Instead of developing a publication from scratch, curator Gianluigi Ricuperati has built upon Nova Express, the independent magazine he founded, using it as both a conceptual and structural foundation for the exhibition.
The visual language and editorial approach that define the magazine’s annual editions have been skillfully adapted for the exhibition space, effectively transforming this version into a unique, immersive issue. This approach has allowed for a more fashion-oriented curation, where large-scale photographs take centre stage, capturing the essence of the featured works with striking clarity. Additionally, the format retains the depth and narrative richness of long-form articles, incorporating in-depth interviews with the artists to provide deeper insights into their creative processes.
