Kenzo
Karl Lagerfeld
April 25, 2020
Loewe
April 25, 2020
Kenzo Takada was born in Japan in 1939 and developed a love for fashion at an early age. In 1958, he became one of the first male students at Tokyo's renowned Bunka Fashion College. He moved to Paris in 1964 and launched his own brand KENZO in 1970.
Known for his signature blend of ethnicity and exoticism, Takada's designs incorporated bright and breezy floral and tribal prints with experiments on volume and tailoring, mixing swatches of garish fabric remnants with classic tailoring pieces. He found inspiration everywhere, from American pop culture and traditionally wrapped Chinese workwear to East Asian batik, to Japanese weaving and European peasants' smocks. His collections were all about fun, colour, drama, and eclecticism.
LVMH purchased the label in 1993, and Takada announced his retirement in 1999 to pursue a career in art. In 2003, Italian designer Antonio Marras continued Kenzo’s creative vision at the brand. Star design duo Humberto Leon and Carol Lim of Opening Ceremony took over as creative directors in 2011, injecting the brand with a youthful spirit and a sense of fun and cheekiness. Kenzo has since become one of the most talked about brands in the industry, with a loyal following amongst big-name celebrities, street style stars, and fashion editors.
Current Creative Directors: Humberto Leon and Carol Lim
