Kenzo Takada was born in
Japan and moved to
Paris in 1964 to start his fashion career.[3] He then became known for using Asian influenced style with the construction of European fashion. He started with a 'Jungle Jap' boutique located at
Galerie Vivienne and decorated in jungle inspired interior. He began with handmade women's clothing; reportedly, he made his first collection with $200 worth of fabrics bought at a large discount house in
Montmartre.[4] The brand became Kenzo after a fashion show in New York in 1976, as the American market considered 'Jungle Jap' too pejorative.[5]
In 1983, Kenzo started designing men and then kids and home collections in 1987, followed by fragrances in 1988.[5]
In 1993, luxury-products maker
LVMH acquired Kenzo from SEBP and Financière Truffaut for about $80 million.[6] From 1995, Kenzo also produced Kenzo Studio, a line was produced through a licensing agreement with the Bonaventure Group. While Kenzo developed the line's fashion direction, Studio was sold only in the U.S. and Kenzo retail stores in China.[7]
Later years
From 1999 until 2003, Gilles Rosier and Roy Krejberg designed the women's and men's lines, respectively.[8]
From 2006 until 2008, over 100 of Kenzo's stores worldwide were refurbished.[9]
From 2008 until 2011,
Antonio Marras served as Kenzo's creative director, overseeing the brand in its entirety.[9][10] By 2011, Kenzo barely broke even, with annual sales estimated at 150 million euros ($197.4 million).[11][12]
In 2011,
Carole Lim and
Humberto Leon of
Opening Ceremony were appointed co-creative directors.[13] The pair was credited with revitalizing the Kenzo brand and making it appeal to a younger customer, as well as re-defining and expanding the role of a fashion creative director to encompass all elements of creative work at a brand, not just designing the garments.[14]
By 2017, Kenzo built the accessories and shoe business to almost 30 percent of revenues.[15] Lim and Leon exited Kenzo in 2019.[16] Also in 2019, Kenzo ended its distribution agreement with
I.T to take back control of its 35 stores in China via a joint venture with the same partner.[17] Under the creative direction of
Felipe Oliveira Baptista, Kenzo launched a line of men's and women's sportswear, titled Kenzo Sport.[18] In April 2021, Kenzo said it would part ways with Oliveira Baptista by the end of his term in June.[19]
The character Kenzo Harper in the BBC sitcom My Family is named after the fashion brand.
In 2012, designers
Humberto Leon and
Carol Lim unveiled a knitted sweater with a tiger graphic on it for Kenzo's Fall 2012 collection.[27][28] Leon wanted to make a sweatshirt version of the sweater for him to wear.[29][30] Despite initial resistance from Kenzo's design team,[31][32] the tiger sweatshirts became extremely popular, with the initial run of sweatshirts selling out within hours at Kenzo's Paris location.[31] Since 2011, the tiger shirt and clothing designed by Leon and Lim[33][34] has been worn by celebrities and fashion bloggers including
Jay Z,
Kevin Hart,
Beyoncé,
Zooey Deschanel,
Swizz Beatz,
Selena Gomez,
Spike Jonze,
Joan Smalls,
Lorde, NorthernSound and
Rihanna.[citation needed]
For the Fall 2014 collection, Kenzo collaborated with filmmaker
David Lynch, who mixed the soundtrack for the show and provided a large sculpture.[35]
In 2016, Kenzo announced its collaboration with
H&M. Kenzo X H&M collection was released on November 3, 2016.[39] The fashion house also collaborates with
Inglot Cosmetics company, which manufactures make-up products.[40] On March 21, 2018, Kenzo revealed
Britney Spears as the face of its new 'La Collection Memento No. 2' campaign.[41] The collaboration, marketed as #KenzoLovesBritney, features a variety of ready-to-wear nostalgic denim pieces for men and women.[42]
Brand Ambassador
Kenzo’s artistic director Nigo, who is known for his taste in music, has selected Vernon, one of 13 members of South Korean boy band Seventeen as the first global ambassador for the French house, announced in June 2023.[43]
^Jensen, Nanna Bachmand (June 12, 2016).
"Kenzo X H&M | Fashion News". Ikon London Magazine.
Archived from the original on July 21, 2019. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
^"About Inglot". inglotcosmetics.com.
Archived from the original on August 6, 2019. Retrieved July 21, 2019.