The Japanese designer opened a small boutique in the old town of Paris in 1970, which he soon developed into a fashion house with an international reputation. He combines Japanese national traditions with Western avant-garde. Kenzo Takada became a “man of ideas” with his prêt-a-portier works, especially in the 1970s. He knew how to combine wide and narrow shapes in his colorful designs. Today, the “Kenzo” label stands for one of the world’s most sophisticated fashion design brands….
Kenzo Takada was born on February 28, 1940 to a hotel owner in Hinejii (Japan).
From an early age, Kenzo showed an interest in fashion. As early as 1960 he won the Japanese fashion prize for freelance designers. After school, however, he studied foreign languages at the University of Kobe at the request of his parents. After dropping out of language studies, Kenzo enrolled at the Bunka Gakuen Fashion School in Tokyo against his parents’ wishes.
In the Japanese capital, odd jobs made it possible for him to study, which he then successfully completed in 1969 with the support of his parents.
After Kenzo then worked as a stylist for a department store chain in Tokyo, he moved to Paris in 1965, where he worked for a fashion company. In 1970, the young designer opened his first small boutique in the French capital. Dubbed “Jungle Japonaise,” the store soon became well known. With the help of the numerous contacts to fashion designers and the fashion press that his partner Gilles Raysse had, Kenzo advanced to become a successful designer in the following years, presenting his first fashion show at the Paris Stock Exchange in 1975.
In 1976, Kenzo opened its headquarters on the noble Parisian “Place des Victoires”. There he showed his creations in a large tent in 1980, whereupon the unusual location of the staging became the typical character of his fashion shows. In 1983, Kenzo surprised the public by staging and presenting its collections in a historic castle. Kenzo, who soon became a classic of European fashion creation, expanded its men’s collections in 1983.
In 1988 he launched a men’s perfume called “Kenzo”. Spot clothing and accessories followed. After his company had been taken over by the “Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy” group in 1993, Kenzo retired from active management in the fall of 1999. Since then, Gilles Rosier has been in charge of the women’s collections, while Roy Krejberg is responsible for men’s fashion.
Towards the end of 1999, Kenzo received the “Time for Peace” fashion award in New York for his life’s work.
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What is Kenzo best known for?
Kenzo is a French fashion brand founded in 1970 by Kenzo Takada, born in Japan and moved to Paris in 1964. Owned by the luxury conglomerate LVMH, the label is known for its Asian influence on traditional European designs, delivering borderless fashion that celebrates cultural diversity.
Where was Kenzo Takada born?
Kenzo Takada was born in 1939 in Himeji, 60 miles west of Osaka, one of five sons and two daughters of a tea-house owner. His early years were clouded by the Second World War and post-war life in a devastated Japan. He had nothing culturally, he remembered, but American films and his own drawings.
When was Kenzo Takada born?
February 27, 1939
How did Kenzo become famous?
Kenzo Takada was born in Japan and moved to Paris in 1964 to start his fashion career. He then became known for using Asian and Japanese influenced style with the construction of European fashion. He started with a ‘Jungle Jap’ boutique located at Galerie Vivienne and decorated in jungle inspired interior.
Why does Kenzo use tiger?
From the archives of Kenzo, they noticed little tigers that would be on the inside of wristbands, inside of bags and on watches. As the duo were already on the hunt for Kenzo’s next emblem, they thought the ‘Tiger’ would be the perfect fit.
What does Kenzo eye mean?
The stylized eye is an invitation to experience Kenzo World, a world to be explored right from the name printed in Braille on top of the box.
Is Kenzo high quality?
All of Kenzo’s garments maintain their original dedication to exceptionally high-quality fabrication: beyond looking good, the Kenzo brand has to be felt to be truly appreciated.
Where does the name Kenzo come from?
The name Kenzo is boy’s name of Japanese origin meaning “strong and healthy”. Kenzo is a common Japanese name with several creative bearers: the single-named fashion designer, prizewinning architect Kenzo Takada, and painter Kenzo Okada, which makes it internationally recognizable.
How much is Kenzo worth?
Kenzo Takada died on October 4, 2020 at the age of 82 from complications related to COVID-19. He was born in Himeji, Japan, on February 37, 1939.
What is Kenzo style?
Kenzo was founded in 1970 by Japanese designer Kenzo Takada and gained a following thanks to his merging of Japanese influences and high-end European construction. The witty over-the-top runway shows, colorful knitwear, and global outlook made Kenzo stand out amongst the more serious Parisian fashion hierarchy.
