Let’s all get dressed up and go Kill Bill. With Onitsuka Tiger’s Spring/Summer 2027 collection, the connection between Western and Japanese aesthetics has never felt stronger. The brand has proven time and again that it’s a fashion universe, not just a sportswear one. Thank God, because it has such a distinctive aesthetic, and Andrea Pompilio knows exactly how to bring it to life.
You know that feeling when a brand has such an iconic identity that you expect it to deliver something extraordinary every time it builds a world around a new collection? When you hope the performance, the setting and the aesthetic will come together to create something that stays in people’s minds forever, only to end up disappointed? Well, Onitsuka Tiger just broke that cycle. On the runway, they unveiled a collaboration with Honda, one of Japan’s leading mobility companies, which further develops its vision of energy, mobility and speed, creating a new expression in which performance and style converge.
Built around movement, speed and motor culture, the collection is only one part of the story. The show itself becomes an experience, bringing together the energy of the motor world with a Western aesthetic that’s carefully executed without falling into the trap of stereotypes. And then there’s that distinctly Tarantino-esque touch: a world where Japanese influences are present without needing to announce themselves. You don’t necessarily see a direct reference but you feel it. It’s there, embedded in the atmosphere, the styling and the way the whole universe comes together. The result? A visual language where Western and Japanese influences meet naturally, creating something cinematic, energetic and unmistakably Onitsuka Tiger.
Every look feels styled in the best possible way. They look ready to fight. And when I say every outfit, I really mean it — the dresses are particularly well done. Every piece is beautifully constructed and crafted, yet everything still feels comfortable, effortless and genuinely wearable for everyday life. There’s something incredibly appealing about the way Onitsuka Tiger manages to make such carefully designed pieces feel so easy to wear.
Among the collection’s highlights are the pink pieces — especially the bow top. It strikes the perfect balance between messy and simple, creating a look that feels effortless yet so beautiful. The layering makes sense, adding dimension without taking anything away from the pieces themselves. And then, the jeans… Can we all agree that when a look can take your breath away with nothing more than a top and a pair of jeans, it has achieved everything?
Finding the right balance is always the key. In this case, the relationship between Honda and Onitsuka Tiger almost feels like it was meant to happen. Honda was founded in 1948, while Onitsuka Tiger followed just one year later, in 1949. At first, they might seem like two completely different worlds, but there is more connecting them than you would think: movement, speed and the constant idea of going somewhere. For S/S 2027, that connection never needed to be made obvious. Instead, it’s been translated throughout the collection and the show in a way that you can simply feel.
What makes the collection work, though, is that it never sticks to the obvious way of representing the motor world. Pompilio knows when to step away from racing references and introduce something completely unexpected. The pink bow top, the dresses, sheer fabrics, lace, flowers and lingerie-inspired details all break with the typical visual language we associate with motorsport. And that’s why the collection makes sense: it takes a very recognisable universe and allows it to become something different. The motor references are there, but they aren’t the whole story.
It’s this tension between the functional and the delicate, the tough and the romantic, that gives the collection its character. The racing jacket can exist alongside a bow top; a technical fabric can meet a flowing dress. Nothing feels out of place. Instead, it feels like the unexpected pieces are precisely what make the whole collection come together.
