The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to the passing of many individuals, including legendary Italian shoe designer Sergio Rossi and former window display design director of Hermès, Leïla Menchari, due to the virus. Additionally, KENZO founder Kenzo Takada also recently succumbed to the coronavirus. The fashion world mourns the loss of these design icons, and now let us look back on the life of Kenzo Takada and remember this master together.
// 成為時裝學院中唯一的男生 //
Kenzo Takada originally followed his parents’ wishes to become a literary writer, but after flipping through his sister’s fashion magazines, he fell completely in love with fashion and established his “fashion dream.” However, the society at that time did not advocate for gender equality as it does now. “Fashion” used to be a domain for girls, and this deeply rooted gender stereotype made Kenzo Takada face many obstacles in pursuing his dream.
Kensan Takada originally wanted to attend the Tokyo Fashion Institute, which did not admit male students at first. However, the institute later began recruiting male students, so he bravely dropped out of school without his family’s knowledge and went to Tokyo alone to pursue his fashion dream. At that time, he was the only one who dared to challenge traditional ideas, break gender stereotypes, and enroll in the fashion institute as the only male student. It is precisely because of his non-conformist and daring personality that he established the essence of the brand “Unlimited”.
// 發跡於巴黎竟是與東京奧運有關？ //
Later, Kenzo Takada broke into the “fashion capital” of Paris, among the faces of Western designers, relying on his own creativity and talent to successfully gain recognition. And all this achievement is actually attributed to the 1964 Tokyo Olympics! By a stroke of luck, Kenzo Takada unexpectedly received a sum of money because the Olympic Committee needed to acquire land to build a sports arena, which was enough to fund his dream trip to Paris.
Of course, it also relies on his personal efforts and talent to succeed. He subverted the French fashion emphasis on female body curves, added functionality to clothing, and incorporated elements of Japanese culture and gorgeous tribal prints. His designs with an oriental flavor amazed the European fashion circle, establishing his lofty position in the industry and promoting Japanese fashion DNA abroad.
// 一場航海之旅啟發他於創作中注入異域風情 //
Besides incorporating elements of Eastern culture, it is not difficult to find that Kenzo Takada’s designs also exude a strong exotic charm. The reasons for this can be more or less traced back to his voyage in 1965. At that time, he traveled on a cargo ship, making stops at various culturally diverse places, including Southeast Asia, West Africa, India, Turkey, and more. As a result, he absorbed and integrated the charm and characteristics of these places into his designs, giving his work a more distinct and unique personality.
// 在國際時尚舞台發光發熱的首位日本人 //
When it comes to Japanese fashion designers, you may immediately think of Comme des Garçons’ Rei Kawakubo or Yohji Yamamoto, and few people may remember the name Kenzo Takada. However, this does not mean that his influence is any less than the others. In terms of chronological order, Kenzo Takada is definitely a senior to the others. In an unprecedented situation, as a Japanese person, he traveled alone to Paris, allowing the international fashion industry to understand the style and ability of Japanese fashion designers, laying a good foundation for Japanese designers who choose to develop in Paris in the future.
// 曾在巴黎過著顛沛流離的生活 //
Upon arriving in Paris, Takada Kenzo faced numerous challenges. Due to a lack of funds, he had to live in a small room without a bathroom, resulting in him only showering once a week. He even worked part-time at a pet grooming salon and as a painter just to be able to buy scraps of fabric at flea markets to create his own designs.
He always maintained an attitude of facing difficulties head-on, step by step developing his “fashion kingdom”. In 1970, he opened his first self-owned store – “Jungle Jap” (now known as KENZO). Later, he gained recognition from the editor of the French version of “ELLE” at a mini fashion show he organized, allowing his work to appear on the cover and gradually enter the public eye. Eventually, he became a prominent Japanese designer in the international fashion industry. Kenzo Takada dedicated his life to fashion ideals, definitely deserving everyone’s admiration!
