Kenzo Takada
(1939- Present)
Biography
Kenzo Takada was born in Kyoto, Japan. His father ran a teahouse and the designer grew up around geishas in a traditional, small village (Polan). His interest in fashion started at a young age reading through his sister’s fashion magazines (Vogue). He first attended the University of Kobe to study literature, but was underwhelmed with the major. Against his parents’ wishes, he enrolled at the Bunka Fashion College as one of the first male students to be accepted (Vogue). In 1960, he won the prominent Soen prize and started work for the department store Sanai creating up to 40 styles every month. Working at Sanai introduced Kenzo the concept of fast fashion and the constant renewal of trends and styles in the fashion industry (Polan).
In 1964, Kenzo moved to Paris and studied at l’Ecole de la Chamber Syndicale de la Couture (Polan). He was the first Japanese designer to showcase his work there. That move changed the future of Japanese designers forever with compatriots Issey Miyake and Kansai Yamamoto following soon after (Polan). When he first arrived in Paris, he spoke no French, had little money or work, so he spent his time wandering the avenues observing and studying shop windows and watching people. Over the next few years, the designer worked for the Pisanti textile group and Relations Textiles.
In 1970, Kenzo opened his first boutique “Jungle Jap” in an old antique clothing store he renovated himself. He held his first show at the boutique, but later moved the shop to 18 Passage Choiseul where his clothes started to attract more attention from the fashion industry. A year later, his smock tent dresses, oversized dungarees, enlarged armholes, innovative shoulder shapes, and his unique store were featured in Vogue US (Vogue). With that newfound recognition, he was able to launch his first menswear line, his first women’s perfume, men’s fragrance, and skincare line.
In 1999, Kenzo retired and leaves his assistants in charge of his fashion house. Italian designer Antonio Marras took over as creative director in 2008. The new Kenzo brand started Gokan Kobo, a brand of tableware, furniture, and other home furnishings. Marras left Kenzo in 2011 and the brand was taken over by prodigies of Opening Ceremony Humberto Leon and Carol Lim (Academy of Art). Leon hopes to keep the history of Kenzo alive but 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" (Vogue).
In 1964, Kenzo moved to Paris and studied at l’Ecole de la Chamber Syndicale de la Couture (Polan). He was the first Japanese designer to showcase his work there. That move changed the future of Japanese designers forever with compatriots Issey Miyake and Kansai Yamamoto following soon after (Polan). When he first arrived in Paris, he spoke no French, had little money or work, so he spent his time wandering the avenues observing and studying shop windows and watching people. Over the next few years, the designer worked for the Pisanti textile group and Relations Textiles.
In 1970, Kenzo opened his first boutique “Jungle Jap” in an old antique clothing store he renovated himself. He held his first show at the boutique, but later moved the shop to 18 Passage Choiseul where his clothes started to attract more attention from the fashion industry. A year later, his smock tent dresses, oversized dungarees, enlarged armholes, innovative shoulder shapes, and his unique store were featured in Vogue US (Vogue). With that newfound recognition, he was able to launch his first menswear line, his first women’s perfume, men’s fragrance, and skincare line.
In 1999, Kenzo retired and leaves his assistants in charge of his fashion house. Italian designer Antonio Marras took over as creative director in 2008. The new Kenzo brand started Gokan Kobo, a brand of tableware, furniture, and other home furnishings. Marras left Kenzo in 2011 and the brand was taken over by prodigies of Opening Ceremony Humberto Leon and Carol Lim (Academy of Art). Leon hopes to keep the history of Kenzo alive but 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" (Vogue).
Critical Analysis
Kenzo was a renowned socialite that embodied the youth culture of the early 1970s. His time spent people watching in Paris gave him the ability to know what the youth wanted. He had witnessed the events of 1968 and the Paris Riots (Polan). This was the transition from the hedonistic 60s to the more idealistic 70s where youth culture was dominated by experimenting to find enlightenment and discovering new cultures to gain a global perspective (Polan). Kenzo’s eclectic intuition, rich appreciation of print and pattern, innate connection to historicism and understanding of dramatic volumes and layers articulated the natural beauty of the Seventies. His fashion shows attracted hysterical crowds of rock star proportions. His designs were not as well received in America as they were across the globe. The American press found his designs to be too “kicky” with his models bouncing and twirling down the catwalks (Polan). He is often given credit for putting the flower in “flower power” with his opulent textiles.
Kenzo took influence from Andres Courreges’ revolutionary new outfits that inspired a series of 30 designs (Vogue). Courreges was able to speak to the playful youth of the 60s and Kenzo was able to do the same for the altruistic, yet still spirited generation of the 70s. Like Elsa Schiaparelli, Kenzo had ingenious knits and never stopped exploring the realms of design (Martin). His love of travel and use of ethnic influences are reminiscent of Paul Poiret’s efforts in blending different cultures into one well thought-out design. Antonio Marras for Kenzo was influenced by Marc Jacobs’ relationship with the savvy, downtown girl integrating the cool edgy downtown vibe with the wearability for the uptown girl (Palomo-Lovinski).
In 1986, Kenzo dubbed his collection “Around the World in Eighty Days” (Martin). The collection included influences from travel and the merging of different cultures into an integrated style. His observation skills mastered in Paris gave Kenzo a delightful perspective on design and rendering ethnic clothing into high fashion. He had an ability to synergize styles from across the globe in a cohesive, aesthetically pleasing manner. He was never fixed on one look, but viewed fashion as a continuous, creative endeavor. He was also fascinated by the paintings of Wassily Kandinsky and David Hockney for his exuberant textiles and prints. He took their use of patterns, unorthodox color combinations and translated them onto garments (Martin).
Kenzo took influence from Andres Courreges’ revolutionary new outfits that inspired a series of 30 designs (Vogue). Courreges was able to speak to the playful youth of the 60s and Kenzo was able to do the same for the altruistic, yet still spirited generation of the 70s. Like Elsa Schiaparelli, Kenzo had ingenious knits and never stopped exploring the realms of design (Martin). His love of travel and use of ethnic influences are reminiscent of Paul Poiret’s efforts in blending different cultures into one well thought-out design. Antonio Marras for Kenzo was influenced by Marc Jacobs’ relationship with the savvy, downtown girl integrating the cool edgy downtown vibe with the wearability for the uptown girl (Palomo-Lovinski).
In 1986, Kenzo dubbed his collection “Around the World in Eighty Days” (Martin). The collection included influences from travel and the merging of different cultures into an integrated style. His observation skills mastered in Paris gave Kenzo a delightful perspective on design and rendering ethnic clothing into high fashion. He had an ability to synergize styles from across the globe in a cohesive, aesthetically pleasing manner. He was never fixed on one look, but viewed fashion as a continuous, creative endeavor. He was also fascinated by the paintings of Wassily Kandinsky and David Hockney for his exuberant textiles and prints. He took their use of patterns, unorthodox color combinations and translated them onto garments (Martin).
Designs
Influence
Kenzo Takada gave the fashion industry a global perspective in an era where the youth were seeking it out. His fresh ideas and spirited combinations of textures and patterns are still imitated by designers across the globe. Although his success waned in America during the 1980s, many of his innovations such as using photographic mannequins instead of regular runway models during shows are still prolific today (Alford). His outrageous fashion shows played rock music and unique store designs captured his audience in a way that had not been seen before. Kenzo's lasting influence is his connection with his generation and showing them the entire world.
He was often eclipsed by Japanese designers who arrived in Paris later such as Miyake, Yamamoto, and Kawakubo for their more conceptual and unconventional designs, but they were merely following the path that Kenzo forged himself. Issey Miyake was influenced by journey Kenzo made to Paris. The two went to l’Ecole de la Chamber Syndicale de la Couture (Polan) and although their design philosophy differs and almost contrasts completely, Miyake would not have been the success he was in Paris without Kenzo leading the way. Belgian designer Dries Van Noten was influenced by Kenzo’s fun and fanciful prints and colors of the 1970s and has adopted the same aesthetic mix of travel and cultural influences (Palomo-Lovinski).
The designer created many of the signature silhouettes of the 1970s such as tunics, Mao collars, layered looks, big, square-cut jumpers, loose waistcoats, kimono-style sleeves, baggy trousers, taffeta dresses, and peasant looks inspired by traditional dress. He was able to introduce Asian inspired looks to the fashion scene marking the growing influence of Japan on European and American designs. At the same time he was able to fuse different elements of dress from different cultures such as Mexican to North African into an assimilated, distinct look that represent the international peace the world was trying to achieve. During the mid-seventies, Kenzo was credited with introducing the unconstructed “Big Look” that consisted of voluminous garments, circular skirts, baggy tops, Peruvian knits, tent dresses and smocks, and “elephant” leg dungarees with thick-soled sandals (Polan).
He was often eclipsed by Japanese designers who arrived in Paris later such as Miyake, Yamamoto, and Kawakubo for their more conceptual and unconventional designs, but they were merely following the path that Kenzo forged himself. Issey Miyake was influenced by journey Kenzo made to Paris. The two went to l’Ecole de la Chamber Syndicale de la Couture (Polan) and although their design philosophy differs and almost contrasts completely, Miyake would not have been the success he was in Paris without Kenzo leading the way. Belgian designer Dries Van Noten was influenced by Kenzo’s fun and fanciful prints and colors of the 1970s and has adopted the same aesthetic mix of travel and cultural influences (Palomo-Lovinski).
The designer created many of the signature silhouettes of the 1970s such as tunics, Mao collars, layered looks, big, square-cut jumpers, loose waistcoats, kimono-style sleeves, baggy trousers, taffeta dresses, and peasant looks inspired by traditional dress. He was able to introduce Asian inspired looks to the fashion scene marking the growing influence of Japan on European and American designs. At the same time he was able to fuse different elements of dress from different cultures such as Mexican to North African into an assimilated, distinct look that represent the international peace the world was trying to achieve. During the mid-seventies, Kenzo was credited with introducing the unconstructed “Big Look” that consisted of voluminous garments, circular skirts, baggy tops, Peruvian knits, tent dresses and smocks, and “elephant” leg dungarees with thick-soled sandals (Polan).
Work Cited
Alford, Holly Price, and Anne Stegemeyer. Who's Who In Fashion. Fifth ed. United States: Fairchild, 2010. Print.
"Kenzo Taps Humberto Leon and Carol Lim as New Creative Directors." Fashion School Daily School of Fashion Blog RSS. Academy of Art University, 13 July 2011. Web. 30 Aug. 2014. <http://www.fashionschooldaily.com/index.php/2011/07/13/kenzo-taps-humberto-leon-and-carol-lim-as-new-creative-directors/>.
"Kenzo Official Website : Collections, News, Blog and Online Store | Kenzo.com." Kenzo Official Website. Kenzo, n.d. Web. 06 Sept. 2014. <https://www.kenzo.com/en/>.
"Kenzo Takada." Vogue UK. Vogue, n.d. Web. 30 Aug. 2014. <http://www.vogue.co.uk/spy/biographies/kenzo-takada>.
Martin, Richard, and Lisa Groshong. "Kenzo." Contemporary Fashion. Ed. Taryn Benbow-Pfalzgraf. 2nd ed. Detroit: St. James Press, 2002. 369-371. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Aug. 2014.
Palomo-Lovinski, Nöel. “Defining Women for a New Generation.” The World’s Most Influential Fashion Designers: Hidden Connections and Lasting Legacies of Fashion’s Iconic Creators. New York, NY: Barron’s, 2010. Print.
Polan, Brenda, and Roger Tredre. The Great Fashion Designers. Oxford: Berg, 2009. Print.
Alford, Holly Price, and Anne Stegemeyer. Who's Who In Fashion. Fifth ed. United States: Fairchild, 2010. Print.
"Kenzo Taps Humberto Leon and Carol Lim as New Creative Directors." Fashion School Daily School of Fashion Blog RSS. Academy of Art University, 13 July 2011. Web. 30 Aug. 2014. <http://www.fashionschooldaily.com/index.php/2011/07/13/kenzo-taps-humberto-leon-and-carol-lim-as-new-creative-directors/>.
"Kenzo Official Website : Collections, News, Blog and Online Store | Kenzo.com." Kenzo Official Website. Kenzo, n.d. Web. 06 Sept. 2014. <https://www.kenzo.com/en/>.
"Kenzo Takada." Vogue UK. Vogue, n.d. Web. 30 Aug. 2014. <http://www.vogue.co.uk/spy/biographies/kenzo-takada>.
Martin, Richard, and Lisa Groshong. "Kenzo." Contemporary Fashion. Ed. Taryn Benbow-Pfalzgraf. 2nd ed. Detroit: St. James Press, 2002. 369-371. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Aug. 2014.
Palomo-Lovinski, Nöel. “Defining Women for a New Generation.” The World’s Most Influential Fashion Designers: Hidden Connections and Lasting Legacies of Fashion’s Iconic Creators. New York, NY: Barron’s, 2010. Print.
Polan, Brenda, and Roger Tredre. The Great Fashion Designers. Oxford: Berg, 2009. Print.