Kenzo Takada, Joyful Fashion

Kenzo Takada was known for his youthful face, his lock of hair that sometimes fell over his forehead and was other times pushed back, and small round glasses. However, it was the stylist’s first name that really anchored him in the world of fashion in the late 20th century. The name Kenzo heralds vibrant colours and graphic and floral prints that adorn the pieces the designer initially made only for women, before launching a menswear range in 1983. 

Before conquering Paris, it all started in Japan. Born in Himeji, not far from Osaka, in 1939, Kenzo Takada had a passion for drawing and fashion design, which he discovered through classes given to his sisters. At the time, these domains were still reserved exclusively for women, so instead he studied literature at Kobe University. However, as soon as Bunka Fashion College decied to open its doors to men, Kenzo was one of the first male students to enrol. 

A designer enamoured with France

He discovered France in 1965, after a six-month-long boat trip. He arrived in Marseille but quickly headed to the capital. What was initially only intended as a brief visit turned into a much longer stay. The stylist settled in Paris, where he opened a boutique a few years later named Jungle Jap at 43 Galerie Vivienne, with décor heavily inspired by the work of ‘Le Douanier’ Rousseau. A painting by the latter, Le Rêve, was the inspiration for the tiger that went on to become a symbol of the Japanese designer’s brand, now known as Kenzo. The first collection, released in 1970, was a success.

‘When he showed his first designs, he got the wrong season. He wasn’t very good at French, so he presented the wrong one: summer instead of winter or the other way round, I can’t remember’, explains Felipe Oliveira, who was artistic director at Kenzo until June 2021, in an interview with Le Monde 

K-3, Kenzo reborn

Things moved quickly after this, with a move to the Place des Victoires in 1976, followed by a men’s collection, then the launch of a perfume range in 1988. These events marked two decades of creative success for the Japanese designer, whose brand was acquired by LVMH before he departed the fashion world in 1999 with one final runway show. The designer never really left this realm, however, as he continued to produce pieces discreetly, far from the aura attached to his name that he could no longer use to sign his creations. 

His final launch prior to his death in October 2020 from COVID-19 was the lifestyle brand K-3, cofounded with Jonathan Bouchet Manheim, and with Engelbert Honorat now overseeing the artistic direction. The pieces bring together western and Japanese influences, designed based around three pillars: shogun, maiko, and sakura. The guiding principle remains true to the designer’s spirit: kintsugi, the method of repairing broken objects with gold.

More information about Kenzo’s history and collections can be found on the brand’s website.
The pieces by lifestyle brand K-3 can be found on its website.