 | A request that this article title be changed to Kenzo is under discussion . Please do not move this article until the discussion is closed. |
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| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Fashion |
| Founded | 1970 |
| Founder | Kenzo Takada |
| Headquarters | , France |
Key people | Nigo (Artistic Director) |
| Parent | LVMH |
| Website | www |
| Footnotes /references [1] | |
Kenzo S.A. (stylized as KENZO PARIS) is a French luxury fashion house founded in 1970 by Japanese designer Kenzo Takada and owned by parent company LVMH. [2]
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 1990, following the death of his life partner, Xavier, and a stroke suffered by his business partner, Takada decided to sell the company. [6]
In 1993, luxury-products maker LVMH acquired Kenzo from SEBP and Financière Truffaut for about $80 million. [7] 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. [8]
Kenzo Takada stayed at the label for a few years and retired from fashion in 1999 at the age of 60. [6]
From 1999 until 2003, Gilles Rosier and Roy Krejberg designed the women's and men's lines, respectively. [9]
From 2006 until 2008, over 100 of Kenzo's stores worldwide were refurbished. [10]
From 2008 until 2011, Antonio Marras served as Kenzo's creative director, overseeing the brand in its entirety. [10] [11] By 2011, Kenzo barely broke even, with annual sales estimated at 150 million euros ($197.4 million). [12] [13]
In 2011, Carole Lim and Humberto Leon of Opening Ceremony were appointed co-creative directors. [14] 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. [15]
By 2017, Kenzo built the accessories and shoe business to almost 30 percent of revenues. [16] Lim and Leon exited Kenzo in 2019. [17] 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. [18]
Under the creative direction of Felipe Oliveira Baptista from 2019 to 2021, Kenzo launched a line of men's and women's sportswear, titled Kenzo Sport. [19] In April 2021, Kenzo said it would part ways with Oliveira Baptista by the end of his term in June. [20]
In September 2021, Kenzo appointed Nigo of A Bathing Ape as their new artistic director. [21] [22] [23]
From 2010 to 2018, Kenzo worked with French manufacturer L'Amy on the production and distribution of its eyewear collections. [24]
Kenzo has expanded rapidly in the time since its first American store has opened, as of June 2021 it now operates 6 locations in the US:
In the early 2000s, Kenzo pulled out of the American market, closing its flagship stores in Los Angeles (2002) and New York (2003). [27] In June 2020, the brand unveiled a new American flagship store in SoHo, Manhattan. [28] [29]
Additionally it has nearly 145 stores worldwide primarily concentrated in Southeast Asia, Japan and Europe. [26]
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. [30] [31] Leon wanted to make a sweatshirt version of the sweater for him to wear. [32] [33] Despite initial resistance from Kenzo's design team, [34] [35] the tiger sweatshirts became extremely popular, with the initial run of sweatshirts selling out within hours at Kenzo's Paris location. [34] Since 2011, the tiger shirt and clothing designed by Leon and Lim [36] [37] 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 ]
In 2016, Kenzo announced its collaboration with H&M. Kenzo X H&M collection was released on November 3, 2016. [38] The fashion house also collaborates with Inglot Cosmetics company, which manufactures make-up products. [39] On March 21, 2018, Kenzo revealed Britney Spears as the face of its new 'La Collection Memento No. 2' campaign. [40] The collaboration, marketed as #KenzoLovesBritney, features a variety of ready-to-wear nostalgic denim pieces for men and women. [41]
Kenzo has been working with several high-profile photographers for its advertisement campaigns, including Jean-Baptiste Mondino (1996–1999), [42] David LaChapelle (2019) [43] and Keizō Kitajima (2024). [44]
For the Fall 2014 collection, Kenzo collaborated with filmmaker David Lynch, who mixed the soundtrack for the show and provided a large sculpture. [45]
For the Fall and Winter 2016 collection, Kenzo produced the campaign film The Realest Real starring Laura Harrier, Mahershala Ali, Natasha Lyonne, and Rowan Blanchard, and directed by Carrie Brownstein. [46] [47] Also in 2016, Sean Baker ( The Florida Project , Red Rocket ) directed a short film starring model Abbey Lee called Snowbird for Kenzo SS16. [48]
In 2023, Kenzo selected Vernon of South Korean boy band Seventeen as the brand's first global ambassador. [49]
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