Covid, Japanese designer Kenzo died: who was he and what he was doing



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Sars-CoV-2 takes another illustrious victim. Late in the afternoon today, at the age of 81, Kenzo Takada died. Known to all for having founded the (almost) eponymous fashion house in Paris several decades ago. The man had contracted the disease in recent weeks and, according to a press release, “he passed away on Sunday, October 4, 2020 at the American Hospital in Neuilly-sur-Seine.” Visionary and able to combine oriental aesthetics with western haute couture, Kenzo was the first Japanese designer to settle in Paris.

Who was kenzo

Born in Japan in 1939, Kenzo Takada has always represented, for the world of fashion and beyond, one of the most important union features between Japanese and Asian aesthetics with European culture and fashion. On the other hand, his passion for art and fashion has accompanied him from a very young age. Almost immediately he abandoned his studies in literature to devote himself body and soul to the study of fashion and design.

He is one of the first men to be admitted to the prestigious opens Fashion College in Shinjuku (Tokyo), where he refines his style and tastes. He began designing women’s clothing for department stores, but the real leap in quality came in 1964, when Kenzo decided to move permanently to Paris, the haute couture capital of the world.

Arrival in Europe and the rise to success

Here the Japanese designer unleashes his inspiration and, in a few years, manages to establish himself even on the Parisian scene. Already in 1970 he managed to open his own boutique, called Jungle Jap: just a fleeting look at the windows to discover what will be the hallmarks of Kenzo’s entire career. The clothing, which resembles true works of art, is a hymn to colors and fantasy.

The climb to success is quick and immediate. the floral and animal prints of Kenzo’s dresses capture the attention of the specialized press and critics. The Japanese designer soon became a regular guest at all haute couture appointments, and in the mid-1970s the first men’s collection also arrived. At the end of the 70s and 80s the first production arrives.

In 1993 he accepted the Pharaonic offer of the French from the LMVH. He stays in charge of his fashion house for a few more years, but now in 1999 she decided to leave the world of haute couture to dedicate herself to interior design.



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