We celebrate the difference

The fashion world has lost another iconic figure, Kenzo Takada, the French- Japanese designer, who died at 81 from COVID-19. He is the first Japanese designer that conquered Paris fashion weeks with Asian-inspired ready-to-wear designs. He merged the Japanese influence and high-end European style.

On October 4th, the fashion house stated on Instagram: "It is with immense sadness that KENZO has learned of the passing of our founder... for half a century, Mr. Takada has been an emblematic personality in the fashion industry - always infusing creativity and color into the world."

Olivier Baptista, the creative director at KENZO added: “His amazing energy, kindness, talent, and smile were contagious. His kindred spirit will live forever.”

Takada was born on February 27th, 1939, in Himeji, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan.

Growing up reading his sisters’ fashion magazines, Takada’s love for fashion started at an early age. He attended Bunka Fashion College in Tokyo as one of its first male students and won a fashion design competition.

At the age of 25, he traveled to Paris to start his journey in fashion. Paris was a source of inspiration for him, especially the famous designer Yves Saint Laurent.

Takada made his first collection in 1970 and presented it at his first fashion show in his store at the Galerie Vivienne. He painted his store's walls with painter Henri Rousseau's jungle-inspired paintings, which he blended with Asian styles. The jungle-like floral aesthetic is Takada's trademark. With a very tight budget, he bought 200$ worth of cotton fabrics. However, it was enough to capture his youthful spirit and multicultural mindset. The mix of prints, the harmony of vibrant colors, the unusual cuts, and the free-spirited aesthetic designs of his first collection made his show stand out from the traditionalism of the french Haute couture. In a short period, his creations were on the cover of ELLE Magazine and featured on Vogue US.

The Japanese-French designer once said: “Fashion is not for the few. It is for all the people. It should not be too serious.”

Takada retired as KENZO's creative director in 1999 to pursue an art career. In 2017, He was honored by a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 55th Fashion Editors' Club of Japan Awards. 

Here are some of the most iconic Kenzo moments the world will never forget:

Kenzo celebrated his culture and individuality through amazing designs. He mixed his Japanese traditions with the modern Parisian style that inspired him to be a designer in the first place.

“My work was always about freedom and harmony”

Kenzo told Vogue,He was the master of mixing several colors and prints. Kenzo was not afraid of experimenting with bright tones and loud patterns. The combinations represented the freedom and the youthful aesthetic of his brand

Takada had a unique perspective on fashion that’s why everything he did was unusual, even his runways. Kenzo’s shows were famously unorthodox. They featured performances, models were dancing or roller skating. He held one of his shows in a circus tent where Kenzo himself rode an elephant.

KENZO had many lines, such as KENZO jungle and KENZO jeans. In 1998 Kenzo revealed his debut fragrance KENZO for Women.The gentle smell of vanilla with a subtle scent of musk mixed with a touch of the flowery aroma of sweet petals made FLOWER BY KENZO a worldwide bestseller, more than a decade after its launch. The perfume is inspired by the bright-red Poppy.FLOWER BY KENZO celebrates the sensual and powerful femininity.

Although Takada left KENZO in 1999, he did not stop creating art. He pursued a career in painting. His paintings had the same style as his designs; fun, youthful, and Japanese inspired. In 2017, he collaborated with a high-end French furniture company Roche Bobois and made the Mah Jong sofa. The entire concept of his interior design is inspired by vintage kimonos and traditional patterns.

The Japanese designer freed women from the structured silhouette of the Haute Couture. He was one of the youngest pioneers of ready-to-wear fashion.

Mr. Kenzo Takada will forever remain one of the most influential figures in the fashion industry.