Glass presents Kenzo’s The Everything

KENZO’s The Everything, the autumn 2018 episode of the seasonal campaign films – which have now become an integral part of the brand – was released  during NYFW. The film is a cocktail of understanding your sexuality, romance problems and the reality of being a teenager in today’s world, as well as having to deal with useless superpowers. The film is reminiscent of 1980s and ‘90s teen movies, yet set in the near future.

The Everything is the seventh film in a mini-series by Humberto Leon and Carol Lim, co-creative directors of Kenzo. However, this short film is solely written and directed by Leon without his life-long collaborator by his side. The film is full of references to Leon’s life; being filmed in his hometown of Rosemead in California as well as having cameos from his family and friends creating a personal sense of depth and emotion to it. All the characters are named after his high school friends.

A still of Sasha Frolova

Having worked with six directors previously on the past films for the French fashion brand, Leon had learnt through observation. While Gregg Araki was precise in every scene, newcomers Natasha Lyonne and Carrie Brownstein had endless possibilities while filming, he had absorbed knowledge of different working styles to help him on this debut project.

Making their debut – Leo Reily and Zsela

Though this is a fashion film, Lim and Leon have always stressed to the directors that the clothes play a secondary role to the story; enabling the films and ad campaigns to have a different expression from what’s occurring on the runway. Leon designed the clothes for the film, allowing him to picture what the characters were going to wear even before putting the script together, like he pictured Shelley wearing pastel colours.

Milla Jovovich with Humberto Leon

The story was written over seven years ago on a plane journey to Cambodia, though it’s been altered and adapted a few times with the help of Lim, his “sounding board and cheerleader”. Ultimately the same message always stayed, that family means everything and with the element of these superpowers involved, that you accept what you have and are comfortable with it. The array of actors involved is commendable with Milla Jovovich fronting the cast, X-Men’s Alexandre Shipp and Kodi Smitt- McPhee starring alongside Red Sparrow’s Sasha Frolova, as well as Spike Jonze making a brief appearance.

“I really wanted to give the audience something to feel” said Leon “With The Everything I think that the viewer can actually walk away with something.”

Watch the film below:

by Imogen Clark