Ka Wa Key Spring '18 Tells a Queer Coming Out Story

The athletic, soft spring '18 collection for London-based label Ka Wa Key is titled "Fried Rice In The Closet"--"Fried Rice" meaning "sex" in Chinese slang.

"The story behind this collection is about a student, a guy, who tries to hide his sexuality, the fact that he is gay, by dressing in sportswear, so that he'd blend in with the other guys," the designers told OUT. "This collection is a contrast of the soft feelings and emotions of a closeted person combined of the hard expectations from the outside world."

Ka Wa Key created an airy, whimsical take on classic sportswear, using soft fabrics like jersey in a palette of gentle pastels. The spring '18 campaign was shot in a breezy prairie and sees models Arnaldo Sanha, Luis Dzidzornu and Travis C-Knight dancing in the fronds.

"We wanted to capture the dreams of the closeted guy--something a bit romantic, airy, floaty and soft," they said. "Something that he says when he is coming out--the sense of freedom, kind of dancing without caring. Before coming out, he was so nervous and felt like his sexuality is a burden, but after coming out this burden is released--it nearly disappears and he feels like he is free. He is embracing what he is and what he will be."

Photography: Jarno Leppanen for Ka Wa Key