Founder: TAKADA KENZO

Registered Place: Paris, France (1970)

Designer: TAKADA KENZO

2) Kenzo (KENZO) first produced men’s clothing, and later added women’s clothing

3) Jungle KENZO JUNGLE in the city: youth clothing

4) KENZO CITY in the city: women's clothing

Variety: clothing, leather bags, accessories, watches, Glasses, home accessories, bath products, perfume, golf equipment

Free space: The first principle of his design is "natural flow and freedom of movement", which refers to the structure and the pursuit of respect for the body. Ken Takada Third, he was the first fashion designer to adopt traditional kimono-style straight tailoring techniques without discounting or stiff materials, while still maintaining a straight appearance. He said: "Through my clothes, I am expressing a free spirit, and this spirit, in terms of clothes, is simplicity, joy and lightness."

Exotic style: His inspiration comes from South America Indians, Mongolian princesses, traditional Chinese patterns and characters, Turkish palace maids, and Spanish knights are like going through an unforgettable journey with him, which carries the dazzling national light of various countries, waiting for people to discover, especially him His preference for the magnificent and mysterious colors of the East enables him to blend different national characteristics together.

Iridescent tones: He imagines the four seasons as summer, playing an exciting trick of color. The deep wine red, bright purple, eggplant color, card base and oil blue with ethnic characteristics are often used by him. These constitute a colorful combination that exudes a sense of warmth, and make the combination into a stronger effect. Let it go.

Happy flowers: KENZO’s patterns are often taken from nature. He likes cats, birds, butterflies, fish and other beautiful creatures, especially flowers. Including flowers from nature, Chinese Tang suits and traditional Japanese kimono patterns, he uses thousands of dyeing and combination methods, including ancestral hand-made printed batik and other methods to express flowers, so that his fabrics always present a fresh and happy look. face.

Brand Identification:

Although bright floral patterns have always appeared with a certain frequency in Kenzo’s designs, the bold capital “KENZO” or Takata Mr. Kenzo's personal signature is also one of the ways to identify it. KENZO's clothing is actually divided into three routes:

1.KENZO PARIS: This is the essence of his creation, and it is also the first route that he defines as high unit price between the ages of 20-45.

2.KENZO JUNGLE: With the name of "JUNGLE", this young brand with an age range of 15-30 years old not only uses bright and bold tropical jungle colors, but also matches accessories with special materials to "repeat The flexible combination of "colors and patterns" creates a strong feature for the relaxed style of young clothing.

3.KENZO JEANS: KENZO has designed this series of denim clothing for young people with a joyful and rich imagination. Including jeans, T-shirts, jackets, shirts, knitted sweaters... trying to create a simple and comfortable way of wearing.

Brand Story:

The world fashion stage has long been monopolized by Europeans and Americans with sharp noses and sharp eyes. Once upon a time, several designers from Japan, an island country in the East, stood at the center of the stage with a bit of mystery, a bit of unpredictability, and even more shocking wonder. Ready-to-wear designer TAKADA KENZO is one of the outstanding ones. The success of this group of Asian designers with black hair and eyes has not only breathed a fresh and profound oriental wind into the European and American culture, but also given great encouragement and encouragement to the fashion industry colleagues who are "fighting" in the East. With confidence, they have opened up a road from the East to the "Fashion Age".

TAKADA KENZO is well known to the world for the popularity of its eponymous brand "KENZO". This humble and humorous artist with a bright smile and thick baby-like hair also experienced dark and difficult days on his way to success in Paris, but his works have never been sad at all. Just like Renoir's paintings, there are only happy colors and romantic imagination. He is therefore known as the "Renoir of fashion".

Successful Footprints

In 1939, KENZO was born into a middle-class family in Himeji, Hyogoike District, southern Japan. When he was young, because he was not satisfied with the constraints of traditional habits and the learning scope defined by his parents, he came to Tokyo alone and studied at the only fashion school in Japan at the time. At that time, there were very few men engaged in the sewing industry in Japan, and KENZO was the only male student at the fashion school. Perhaps it was this unruly character that dared to challenge tradition that became the "motivating force" for KENZO to continue to explore and develop in the clothing industry. ".

In 1964, the Japanese government acquired land to build a stadium in preparation for the Tokyo Olympics. With a relocation fee of 350,000 yen, he bought a ferry ticket to Marseille and took the first step towards the world. Prior to this, KENZO had accumulated considerable design and operation experience in China. He had won the "Japan Fashion Design Award" in 1960 and had long-term experience in designing women's clothing for department stores.

In 1965, KENZO began the long dreamed journey to the West. Cargo ships continued to load and unload cargo at many ports around the world. During the docking period, KENZO was able to come into contact with major ethnic groups and different cultures in the world. , different styles opened his eyes. The strong exotic flavor in KENZO clothing comes from that experience.

He originally brought five suitcases with him on the ship, which were filled with his proud works over the years. He originally wanted to use these things to show off in Paris, but through this trip, he re-evaluated After these works, he resolutely threw away all the design works in Hong Kong along the way. When KENZO arrived in Marseille, it was winter. He did not know French and was penniless, and he had a difficult time. Later, he moved to Paris, where he rented a house as small as a toilet. In the most difficult days, in order to make a living, he even made a living by shearing other people's dogs. Despite this, KENZO never stopped pursuing fashion. He continued to send his works to various clothing magazines and clothing companies. Finally, KENZO sold more than a dozen works through ELLE. Since then, KENZO's design career in France has taken a turn for the better.

In April 1970, KENZO opened his first store on GALERIE VIVIENNE in Paris, adjacent to Notre Dame de la Victoire. This was a new step in his life. Using the paint skills he learned while working, he spent three months creatively painting his favorite post-impressionist master Rousseau's "Jungle Dream" on the walls, steps, and ceilings, and named the store "Japanese Jungle." . After that, he also named his brand JUNGLE JAP "Japanese jungle" and JUNGLE KENZO "KENZO in the jungle". His advertisements are also all in the jungle background, and his "jungle complex" is everywhere reflected in his life and design.

In August 1970, KENZO organized its first small fashion show in an alley near his store. Although the venue was simple, with only a dozen visitors, it attracted the editor-in-chief of "ELLE" to come and watch, and received great appreciation from him. So in November KENZO's work was put on the cover of "ELLE". After that, his fashion paintings were often published in fashion publications, and the clothes he designed began to gain popularity. Since then, KENZO has embarked on the journey of his fashion career. In 1971, the fashion brand he designed with the trademark "Japanese Jungle" was sold to the United States as the latest fashion product from Paris. The unique taste and unique design style of the trademark were refreshing, causing a sensation in the United States, and was widely popular among those who were keen on new things. of American consumers accept it.

In the early 1970s, under the impact of anti-traditional cultural concepts and values, high-end fashion stores serving ladies were in decline and closed down one after another. And miniskirts and bell-bottoms became popular. At this time, KENZO uses bright and lively colors with strong contrasts, rich and ubiquitous floral patterns, highly imaginative matching methods, comfortable and free wearing feelings, international design ideas that are not restricted by geographical areas, and the works are full of The relaxed and cheerful atmosphere is an eye-opener for everyone in the world, and it also makes KENZO grow and develop at an amazing speed.

KENZO's ready-to-wear brand quickly became famous in the international field, and Paris, Milan, and Tokyo successively became the stages for him to display his talents and meticulous creations. KENZO expresses his creative ideas with a voice from Asia. His outstanding talent has earned him the reputation as Asia's number one designer.

In 1995, Mr. Takada Kenzo sold the company to LVMH Group (global luxury goods group) and concentrated on design, making his clothing works even more outstanding.

In 1999, it won the "Peace Era" Design Award sponsored by the United Nations, and held the 2000 Spring and Summer Show KENZO Thirty Years Review and the "American New World" Gala with the theme of "Peace Era". Sensational in the industry.

Master of Color Mixing

The intertwining of two completely different emotions between his hometown and Paris is the source of Takada Kenzo’s unusual inspiration. He always designed with Paris in mind, but Oriental influences occasionally surfaced. This style was developed at the beginning of his career. In 1970, the clothes displayed in his first store, Jungle Jap, were very different from what people wore on the street. He widened the cuffs, changed the shape of the shoulders, and used cotton fabrics; the flat concept of kimono design can be seen everywhere in his designs. However, his style was quickly embraced and became a sought-after item. The kaleidoscope-like colors and patterns he designed are even more amazing, and he is known as the "Color Magician".

The world fashion stage has long been monopolized by Europeans and Americans with sharp noses and deep eyes.

Once upon a time, several designers from Japan, an island country in the East, stood at the center of the stage with a bit of mystery, a bit of unpredictability, and even more shocking wonder. Ready-to-wear designer TAKADA KENZO is one of the outstanding ones. The success of this group of Asian designers with black hair and eyes has not only breathed a fresh and profound oriental wind into the European and American culture, but also given great encouragement and encouragement to the fashion industry colleagues who are "fighting" in the East. With confidence, they have opened up a road from the East to the "Fashion Age".

TAKADA KENZO is well known to the world for the popularity of its eponymous brand "KENZO". This humble and humorous artist with a bright smile and thick baby-like hair also experienced dark and difficult days on his way to success in Paris, but his works have never been sad at all. Just like Renoir's paintings, there are only happy colors and romantic imagination. He is therefore known as the "Renoir of fashion".

(Reprinted)