Kenzo Takada is a Japanese fashion designer, best known for his eponymous label Kenzo.
Born in Himeiji, Japan, in 1940 to traditional innkeeper parents, his interest in fashion developed at an early age through reading his sister's magazines. Aged 18, following the wishes of his parents, he attended the University of Kobe to study literature. Dissatisfied and bored with the course, he left for Tokyo's Bunka Fashion College - against his parents' wishes - where he was one of the first male students to be admitted.
In 1960, he won the prestigious Soen prize and began working for the Sanai department store as a designer of girl's clothing, making up to 40 styles every month.
In 1964, Kenzo moved to Paris. He took some time to settle in, but eventually he started sketching. The revolutionary new outfits by Courreges were the inspiration for a series of 30 designs he made, five of which were accepted by designer Louis Feraud.
Over the next few years, he worked for various department stores, the Pisanti textile group and Relations Textiles.
He opened his first boutique in 1970. Called Jungle Jap, it was housed in a former antique clothing store at the Gallerie Vivienne that Kenzo renovated himself. It was also the venue of his first show. The shop later moved to 28 Passage Choiseul in Paris' 2e arrondissement, where his clothes started attracting more attention.
His designs featured in American Vogue in 1971, where his smock tent dresses, oversized dungarees, enlarged armholes, original shoulder shapes and unique store were slated by the publication as the next development in the Paris boutique scene.
His first men's collection was launched in 1983.
In 1988, his women's perfume line began with Kenzo de Kenzo, Parfum d'été, Le monde est beau and L'eau par Kenzo. His first men's fragrance, Kenzo pour Homme, in 1991. FlowerbyKenzo, launched in 2000, and has since become a flagship fragrance for the Kenzo Parfums brand. In 2001, a skincare line, KenzoKI was also launched.
In 1993, his label was bought by LVMH.
Kenzo Takada announced his retirement in 1999, leaving his assistants in charge of his fashion house.
In 2003, Italian designer Antonio Marras joined the brand and was named creative director in December 2008.
In 2005, Kenzo turned to a different type of design by launching Gokan Kobo, a brand of tableware, home objects and furniture.
It was announced in July 2011, that Marras would leaving his creative directorship at Kenzo and be succeeded by Humberto Leon and Carol Lim, the duo behind cult US clothing store Opening Ceremony. "Kenzo, as a brand, has such a rich and fascinating history, it can be hard to determine what exactly we have changed," Leon told us after a year at the helm. "With our new collections, we hope that we have injected the brand with a youthful spirit and a sense of fun and cheekiness. But we also want to respect and preserve the traditions of the Kenzo house, such as the importance of prints and the sense of worldliness and travel that has been intrinsic to every collection in the history of Kenzo."
In 1960, he won the prestigious Soen prize and began working for the Sanai department store as a designer of girl's clothing, making up to 40 styles every month.
In 1964, Kenzo moved to Paris. He took some time to settle in, but eventually he started sketching. The revolutionary new outfits by Courreges were the inspiration for a series of 30 designs he made, five of which were accepted by designer Louis Feraud.
Over the next few years, he worked for various department stores, the Pisanti textile group and Relations Textiles.
He opened his first boutique in 1970. Called Jungle Jap, it was housed in a former antique clothing store at the Gallerie Vivienne that Kenzo renovated himself. It was also the venue of his first show. The shop later moved to 28 Passage Choiseul in Paris' 2e arrondissement, where his clothes started attracting more attention.
His designs featured in American Vogue in 1971, where his smock tent dresses, oversized dungarees, enlarged armholes, original shoulder shapes and unique store were slated by the publication as the next development in the Paris boutique scene.
His first men's collection was launched in 1983.
In 1988, his women's perfume line began with Kenzo de Kenzo, Parfum d'été, Le monde est beau and L'eau par Kenzo. His first men's fragrance, Kenzo pour Homme, in 1991. FlowerbyKenzo, launched in 2000, and has since become a flagship fragrance for the Kenzo Parfums brand. In 2001, a skincare line, KenzoKI was also launched.
In 1993, his label was bought by LVMH.
Kenzo Takada announced his retirement in 1999, leaving his assistants in charge of his fashion house.
In 2003, Italian designer Antonio Marras joined the brand and was named creative director in December 2008.
In 2005, Kenzo turned to a different type of design by launching Gokan Kobo, a brand of tableware, home objects and furniture.
It was announced in July 2011, that Marras would leaving his creative directorship at Kenzo and be succeeded by Humberto Leon and Carol Lim, the duo behind cult US clothing store Opening Ceremony. "Kenzo, as a brand, has such a rich and fascinating history, it can be hard to determine what exactly we have changed," Leon told us after a year at the helm. "With our new collections, we hope that we have injected the brand with a youthful spirit and a sense of fun and cheekiness. But we also want to respect and preserve the traditions of the Kenzo house, such as the importance of prints and the sense of worldliness and travel that has been intrinsic to every collection in the history of Kenzo."
