PARIS — Kenzo Takada, the long-lasting French-Japanese clothier famed for his jungle-infused designs and free-spirited esthetic that channeled world journey, has died. He was 81.
The household stated in a press release to French media Sunday that Takada died from problems from COVID-19 in a hospital in Neuilly-sur-Seine, close to Paris. A public relations officer for Kenzo’s model confirmed that Takada died, however didn’t give a explanation for demise.
“It’s with immense disappointment that KENZO has discovered of the passing of our founder,” the style home stated in a press release. “For half a century, Mr. Takada has been an emblematic persona within the vogue business — at all times infusing creativity and color into the world.”
Takada’s demise got here on the tail finish of Paris Style Week, whose nine-day calendar is enterprise an uncommon vogue season for spring-summer 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. It was solely days in the past that the Kenzo vogue home unveiled its bee-themed assortment right here.
Although Takada had been retired from his home since 1999 to pursue a profession in artwork, Kenzo stays one of the crucial revered fixtures of excessive Paris vogue. Since 1993, the Kenzo model has been owned by the French luxurious items firm LVMH.
“His wonderful power, kindness, expertise and smile have been contagious,” stated Kenzo creative director Felipe Oliveira Baptista, who unveiled the bee-themed assortment to vogue editors Wednesday. “His kindred spirit will reside eternally.”
Kenzo’s kinds used daring color, clashing prints and have been impressed by travels all around the world.
“Kenzo Takada has, from the 1970s, infused into vogue a tone of poetic lightness and candy freedom which impressed many designers after him,” stated Bernard Arnault, chairman and chief govt of LVMH.
Takada was born on Feb. 27, 1939, in Himeji, within the Hyogo Prefecture in Japan to hoteliers, however after studying his sisters’ vogue magazines his love of vogue started.
Learning on the Bunka Faculty of Style in Tokyo, Kenzo Takada had a quick stint working in Japan, earlier than relocating to Paris in 1965, to work as a contract designer.
In Paris, he took over a boutique in 1970 and crystallized his future ready-to-wear esthetic impressed in its ornament by the jungle scenes of painter Henri Rousseau, which he merged with Asian kinds. It grew to become influential.
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Nevertheless it was lowly beginnings: Takada’s first assortment on the retailer known as was made completely out of cotton as a result of he had little cash. However the garments spoke for themselves and a mannequin of his was placed on the quilt of Elle journal. A short while after, pioneering shoulder kinds, giant armholes, dungarees, smock tent attire, progressive shoulder shapes, and his retailer was featured in US Vogue. Kenzo confirmed collections in New York and Tokyo in 1971.
Yves Saint Laurent was an necessary inspiration, in his work, Takada has stated. Takada shared Saint Laurent’s penchant for theatrics. in 1978 and 1979, he confirmed in a circus tent, and it featured himself driving an elephant, and performers rode horses carrying see-through uniforms.
Takada’s love of journey and use of ethnic influences have been sturdy options in his three a long time atop his home.
His contribution to type was vital. He championed a youthful esthetic and unstructured kind, and did away with zippers to liberate silhouettes. His signatures have been of wider sleeves and arm holes, that harked to historic kinds in his dwelling continent of Asia.
© 2020 The Canadian Press
