Japanese Fashion Designer: Kenzo Takada

Let’s get to know Kenzo, his life and his most popular work😀

Japanese Roots

Kenzo Takada (高田賢三) was born on February 27, 1939, in Himeji, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. Kenzo’s love for fashion started early, thanks to his sisters' magazines. He started at Kobe City University of Foreign Studies but left after his father's death to follow his passion. In 1958, he joined Tokyo’s Bunka Fashion College, one of the first male students there. Winning the Soen Award in 1961 was the first milestone of his amazing journey in fashion.

( image via palaisgalliera.paris.fr )

Parisian Life

At 25, Kenzo decided to follow his dreams and moved to Paris with his friends, the Matsuda couple. They were supposed to go home to Japan together, but Kenzo decided to stay in Paris. He faced many struggles, including loneliness and homesickness. With not much money, he sold sketches to fashion houses and worked hard to make connections. Despite the challenges, Kenzo persevered, attending language school and slowly making friends.

Career Success

Kenzo’s hard work paid off when he opened his first boutique, "Jungle Jap," in Paris in 1970. Known for his bold prints and vibrant styles, his designs quickly caught attention. Elle magazine featured one of his creations on its cover in June 1970. The brand KENZO became famous for its playful use of color and unique cultural blends. By 1976, he had his flagship store in Place des Victoires. His fashion shows were legendary, often theatrical and surprising, like the one where he rode an elephant, in 1979 🤯🐘

(image via milleworld.com)

Kenzo also ventured into menswear, children's clothing, and perfumes, creating iconic scents like Flower by Kenzo (Have you ever smelled it?? I have and I like it!😍). He won numerous awards, including the Fashion Editor Club of Japan's prize and the French Legion of Honour.

(image via kenzoperfumes.com)

Kenzo is part of the LVMH company since 1993.

In His Memory

Kenzo retired in 1999 to focus on art and continued to influence the fashion world with new designs and a homeware brand. Sadly, Kenzo Takada passed away in 2020, due to complications from COVID-19 in Paris. He was 81. 

As Kenzo once said, "Fashion is like eating, you shouldn't stick to the same menu", let’s all remind ourselves to stay creative in our everyday life, and spice things up once in a while✨

Your Sensei,
Hikari 👩🏻‍🏫