Modern high fashion has made a seemingly unbreakable habit of borderline appropriation. Be it cultural “borrowings” from Asia, Africa, or beyond, adding ideas from foreign lands is no longer an industry secret. But, back in the 1970’s, it wasn’t exactly a popular notion. It didn’t occur to mainstay names within the fashion industry that absorbing and applying ideas from other cultures might in fact enhance your vision. It did, however, occur to Kenzo Takada, founder of KENZO.
In 1964, Takada was struggling a bit to acquaint himself with Paris, to where he’d just moved. But, after finding a relative comfort level, he started sketching out designs. Always one to work in prolific strides, Takada produced 30 sketches in this time, seeing five of his pieces accepted by Luis Feraud. His work showed bold flashes of cultural mixing, bringing together the influences of Japanese heritage and the Parisian aesthetic. The result was an eye-opening, progressive portfolio indicative of a man who looked to the futurism of Andre Courreges for inspiration.
That knack for combining cultural influences would be a theme for Takada as he would go on to found the innovative KENZO fashion house. In 1970, the Japanese designer found and took over an antique clothing store, using it as the first vessel through which he would realize his aesthetic. Takada’s curiosity never seemed to leave him as the KENZO founder continued to travel to different countries in search of something new to add to his vision.
What resulted from Takada’s experimentation was a colourful and expressive line of pieces that seemed to simultaneously clash with and captivate the Parisian fashion scene. He would go on to open his own boutique, from which the fashion world saw imaginative clothing that emphasized movement and flair.
Today, as KENZO more recently debuts their latest men’s collection, we can see interesting parallels with the brand’s past. The ever-present Kenzo sweater is a big part of this release, showing a variable mix of materials that boast familiar graphics. Yet, we also see some clearly altered elements. In contrast to the brand’s past, we no longer get the flower-heavy patterning of the more vintage KENZO pieces. The loud animal prints and clashing color palettes are also missing, one of many heavily considered decisions made by Humberto Leon and Carol Lim, who were charged with reviving the brand in 2012.
Omissions aside, KENZO’s latest collection is a good reminder of what made this brand so popular in the first place. The striking visuals and cultural influences that wowed so many in the 1970’s is mirrored by the brand’s modern “cool factor” brought on by an insistence on graphic variation and sharp fits. A skimming look at their latest pieces shows a leaning towards the Tiger and Eye graphics. That is really a result of the leadership of Leon and Lim, both of whom understand why so many people continue to gravitate towards the brand today. Fortunately for KENZO fans, the fashion house seems very determined to continue celebrating its original heritage. As it turns out, that heritage is all about celebrating others as well. Be a part of it: discover our complete KENZO selection at our new flagship store in Madrid.