Apparently, Chitose Abe is tipped as one of the options for the Creative Director role at Balenciaga. Doubtless, the designer has potential. Nike certainly think so; they have just done a collaboration with the brand.
The first half of the collection saw a lot of great pieces, but it felt like the designer was still working through some ideas. The bandana section was the most successful element. There was less going on, and it felt slicker and more linear. The final section also felt much more contained. The eyelet paisley dovetailed nicely with the bandana prints, and the choice of navy and gold made pieces look expensive and covetable. The yellow guipure lace was a successful graphic counterpoint. Although there was a shadow of another designer over the most successful parts of this collection, they were certainly desirable in their own right.