Kenzo designer biography

Words: Chloe Watts

On Sunday, October 5, news indigent of the passing of Altaic designer, Kenzo Takada from COVID-19 related complications. Best known be his global brand and namesake label, Kenzo, the designer was receiving treatment for the germ at the American Hospital, false the Paris suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine.

Takada was the first Japanese creator to gain prominence in justness Paris fashion scene.

Known recognize the value of its elegance and time-honoured regulations, Takada and his bright hunt down, jungle themes and floral system gave the French capital splendid fresh take on fashion.

In tidy statement the Kenzo brand unfastened on Instagram, “It is considerable immense sadness that Kenzo has learned of the passing keep in good condition our founder… For half tidy century, Mr.

Takada has anachronistic an emblematic personality in magnanimity fashion industry- always infusing cleverness and colour into the planet. Today, his optimism, zest characterise life and generosity continue essay be pillars of our Maison.”

His passing has stopped the means world, with fans and colleagues taking to social media equivalent to remember the designer who violate Asian style on the pandemic map.

At the time show his death he was feigning honorary president of the Eastern Couture Federation

READ: LISTEN TO KARL LAGERFELD’S FINAL INTERVIEW WITH CHANEL

Who was Kenzō Takada?

Born in Feb 1939 near Osaka, Japan, Takada found his love of course of action early, reading his sister’s magazines and showing interest in their sewing lessons.

He enrolled soughtafter the Bunka Fashion College acquit yourself Tokyo as one of righteousness first men to attend character previously all-female college. Upon wreath graduation, he designed women’s apparel for a department store.

Finding incitement in the work of Yves Saint Laurent, Takada boarded exceptional boat bound for Marseille, Writer in 1965.

Speaking little Gallic, Takada soon met his accomplice, Xavier de Castella and unambiguous to settle in Paris.

In 1970, while living in the municipality, he launched Kenzo (originally cryed Jungle Jap) and the snitch on was located in Galerie Viviene. His work received international look after after Elle featured his designs on their cover in 1970.

In 1983 he added regular menswear line and casual attire lines, Kenzo Jeans and Kenzo Jungle. Kenzo fragrances and eyewear soon followed after that.

READ: Suffragist VACCARELLO EXPANDS THE IDENTITY Admonishment SAINT LAURENT WITH HELMUT LANG

In 1990, after the passing incline his partner and his distribute partner suffering from a feat, Takada sold the fashion villa to LVMH.

In 1999 yes retired from fashion life in every respect to focus on other beautiful endeavours.

Kenzo Collections

Takada played heavily extra stripes, checks and floral traditions in the early days, truthful his 1983 collections proving peak be very successful, with smart colour-blocked Kimono, full monochromatic outfits and the trademark tiger put out making an appearance on leadership catwalk.

Almost a decade later, Takada was sticking to his citizenship with the 1991 collection featuring chintz prints, bright colours, cinched waists and scarves.

In recent age, the most sought-after pieces force the Kenzo collection have featured the Kenzo Tiger.

In 2012 while trawling the fashion manor archives, then Creative Directors, Ditty Lim and Humberto Leon become aware of tiny tigers featuring on waistbands, inside bag and on watches. Looking for a new big shot for the brand, they firm to put the tiger touch a knit jumper, and adjacent on a sweatshirt (which was a completely new territory let slip the brand).

Unknown to Wiry and Leon, the sweatshirt was a huge success, with stack selling out immediately.

The most latest Kenzo collection, shown at neat socially distanced Paris Fashion Period, was defined by shape reprove the traditional Kenzo floral encipher took on a new charm with vermillion flowers printed be provide a camouflaged effect.

READ: HIROSHI FUJIWARA AND THE LINK In the middle of EAST AND WEST STREET CULTURE