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Kenzo Takada

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Designer

The Resume

    (February 27, 1939-October 4, 2020)
    Born in Himeji, Japan
    Founded the fashion house Kenzo in Paris (1970)
    Known for using bright colors and jungle prints
    Expanded into menswear (1983), casual sportswear (1986), and perfume (1988)
    Brand sold to the French luxury goods company LVMH (1993)

Why he might be annoying:

    When he first arrived in Paris, the only job he could get was as a poodle groomer (1965).
    His approach to fashion: ‘I try to shock. If you don’t, you bore.’
    He gave his first boutique the name ‘Jungle Jap.’
    He sported a skunk-like grey streak in his hair.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He was one of the first male students admitted to Tokyo’s Bunka Fashion College and graduated first in his class.
    Women’s Wear Daily wrote, ‘Takada was the only France-based designer whom almost all of the other French designers openly admired.’
    Yves Saint Laurent called him ‘the most original creator in fashion – after me, of course.’
    He created uniforms for the Japanese Olympic team (2004) and costumes for the Tokyo Nikikai Opera’s production of Madama Butterfly (2019).
    He was named a Knight of the Legion of Honor (2016).

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 7 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 9 Votes: 77.78% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 31 Votes: 67.74% Annoying