Japanese-born designer Kenzo passes away due to COVID-19

Passed away at 81... First Japanese Designer to Succeed in France

▲Japanese designer Kenzo Takada [Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] Kenzo Takada, the first Japanese designer to achieve success in Paris, the fashion capital of France, passed away on the 4th (local time) at the age of 81.

According to Bloomberg News, Kenzo's spokesperson announced that he died at a hospital in Neuilly-sur-Seine near Paris, France, on that day. The cause of death is reported to be complications from the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

Born in 1939 in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, as the fifth of seven siblings, Kenzo was interested in fashion from a young age, reading fashion magazines.

Kenzo initially enrolled at Kobe University but dropped out and then entered Bunka Fashion College to study fashion. After graduation, he moved to Paris in 1964.

Kenzo started working as an assistant designer at the French brand Renoma and opened his own boutique at the age of 30 in 1970.

Although his beginnings were modest, his first collection gained fame after being featured in the American fashion magazine Vogue. In 1971, he showcased collections in New York and Tokyo, and in 1976, he launched a brand bearing his own name.

Starting his designer career with women's collections, Kenzo introduced a men's collection in 1983 and launched a perfume in 1988. The flower depicted on Kenzo perfume bottles became an iconic symbol representing Kenzo.

In 1993, he sold his brand to Louis Vuitton Mo?t Hennessy (LVMH).

Six years later, in 1999, Kenzo announced his retirement from the fashion industry.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.