Kenzo Takada was born in Japan in 1940, his interest in fashion began at an early age through reading his sister’s magazines. Aged 18, he attended the University of Kobe to study literature but becoming dissatisfied and bored he left for Tokyo’s Bunka Fashion College, where he was one of the first male students to be admitted.
In 1960, Kenzo won the prestigious Soen prize and began working for the Sanai department store as a designer of girl’s clothing, creating up to 40 styles per month. Kenzo moved to Paris in 1964 where he started to design outfits for various department stores. He opened his first boutique in 1970 and it was the venue for his first show. His designs were featured in American Vogue in 1971 where he was deemed the next development in the Paris boutique scene.
In 1960, Kenzo won the prestigious Soen prize and began working for the Sanai department store as a designer of girl’s clothing, creating up to 40 styles per month. Kenzo moved to Paris in 1964 where he started to design outfits for various department stores. He opened his first boutique in 1970 and it was the venue for his first show. His designs were featured in American Vogue in 1971 where he was deemed the next development in the Paris boutique scene.
