KENZO (Kenzo)

At the first demonstration of Kenzo Takada reached 50 people. They saw a strange bright clothes - mostly kimono, made of Japanese cotton. At first, people in the room laughed. They have no idea who has the last laugh.

He was born Feb. 27, 1939 in the province of Hyogo, in the village at the foot of the ancient castle Himeyi. Kenzo was the last, the fifth child of the owner of a tea house. While still in school, he was so struck by the models, which he saw in a magazine Sunflower, that tried to copy them. After high school Kenzo did not want to continue their studies at the University and asked parents to allow him to attend the same school of fashion, which visited his sister. But the parents refused him, and he began to study English literature at the University of Kobe Gaibo.

However, could not resist: having studied for one semester, he left university and went to Tokyo. To earn his studies, he worked as an apprentice house painter, for seven dollars a month and became the first male, who was admitted to the oldest Japanese school fashion Bunka Gakuen (before this took place only girls). "If I started now, I would have stayed in Tokyo" - recognized Kenzo. And at first it actually worked in a network fashion stores "Sana" and male model in the capital's fashion magazine. But while his only desire was to go to Paris, especially after his teacher Koike, who has just returned from France, told him about the collections of Yves Saint Laurent and the events of the Paris fashion world.

A little later, luck smiled at him - Kenzo has received compensation in the amount of 350 thousand yen for the demolition of the house where he lived. January 1, 1965 he arrived in Marseilles and boarded a train that goes to Paris. He did not speak French, he did not have no job, no money, so it is more silent, looked and listened. Paris became an open book for Kenzo. "Anywhere in the world I did not feel as good as in Paris - says Kenzo. - Here every stone, every cloud, every passer-by helped me in the work. Although in my heart I remained a Japanese ".

Since 1965, taking off his room in Montmartre, he regularly visits all the major shows - Cardin, Dior, Chanel - and is sinking deeper into the abyss of depression. Haute couture - unattainable goal, a parallel universe, the perfect clothes, far removed from real life. Kenzo realized that if he goes the traditional way, you will not achieve anything. Take decades to catch up with grandiose names. We had something new, something replete Paris have not tried.

Thank God, wait did not stay long. As recognized by Kenzo himself, he seemed to have opened his eyes when he saw the first collection Kurrezha. A new standard for haute couture, which could close a mere mortal. In one breath Kenzo makes 30 models of clothes, 5 of them for a ridiculous amount ($ 5) buys the wife of Louis Feraud. Fulfilling orders for several large retail stores, Kenzo learns to work with European fabrics and colors. Every day, he relates to the bank all that can accumulate, and dreams of their own case.

Youth fashion brought him quick success. His models already featured an inimitable blend of colors and patterns. Cage, bar, floral and 'savage' drawings mixed in the most improbable combinations, leaving an impression of life and joy 'pleasure from holidays'. Kenzo himself defined his style as 'the destruction of Haute Couture', a combination of Far Eastern and other ethnic influence with the Parisian chic

. Five years after his arrival in Paris, Kenzo with Atsuko Kondo, . old college classmate, . offers the most charming boutique in Paris in those years - "Dzhep Jungle" (Jungle Jap) - on the Grands Boulevards, . away from the "golden triangle" and located there Salons masters of haute couture,
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And then happened the very first show, with which we began our story. Kenzo used Japanese cotton fabric and lengths of cloth, which he bought in the market of Saint Pierre. The day after the show opened boutique Jungle Jap.

Kimonoobraznye clothes at first amazed and amused. Although what might be expected from the Japanese?
"In Japan in the early 70's there were two main areas for kimono - simple and very strict or very colorful, as Japanese Kabuki theater. I chose the latter ". Few people know that Kenzo has grown to the music, laughter and singing geisha, so start with a jacket for him was quite natural. "Once upon a time I sewed clothes for dolls and sisters dreamed how I would wear round-the daughters of the far West - recalls Kenzo. - In Paris, determined to find something different, I thought about mixing kimonos with Western clothing: sweaters spacious, broad shoulders, overhead, straight lines, wide sleeves.

In the 70 years when the dominant wear, adaptable, with narrow sleeves and shoulders, it was a new. 'Body of need space - say fashion. - How physically and spiritually '. All of them - Miyake, Yamamoto, Kenzo, Kavakubo - are beginning to enter the fashion for three-dimensional things, because any Japanese are genetically engineered not understand clothes, tight, and emphasize the shape. In such things, by their own admission, the Japanese choke. Volumetric wear was a truly revolutionary. But, like any revolution, this was the historical background of. Weary glitter glamor, Europe could no longer, and did not want to emphasize the waist and hips. I wanted to remove his own body from public display.

Style Kenzo immediately dubbed "the new deconstruction", Couture Destructuree, and this trend, like no other, was consonant with the mood of the new generation - those who have imbibed the spirit of youth riots in Paris 60-x. 70-e - starry decade Kenzo. Creating five collections a year, he gets rid of the buckles, "lightning" and buttons from the overlying cut and darts. In the balance - a direct, free, clean cut, color combinations and rhythms, unusual European eye. Its collections are filled with color ... and colorful. For a man, not too talkative by nature and, moreover, speak little French, flowers have always remained a special form of expressing love for life, to freedom.

Moreover, the cult of flowers means a lot to the hippy movement, certainly had a significant impact on Kenzo. But in the end, is it not natural for people from the cherry blossoms to draw a huge rose on the wall of a new boutique?

This boutique on the square Victoire immediately becomes the most fashionable place in Paris. Over the 70-mi followed by 80-s, when the world is going crazy from all that is associated with fashion, when embodied most daring imagination of designers. Kenzo is one of the first fashion designers have turned impressions clothing enchanting show: "I like fun, but Paris in those years, especially to him had".

In 1981, Kenzo draws linen and sleeps with gold dust surface Victoire, the year luxury tents set around an ancient castle in Bordeaux, later decorated with the famous bridge Pont-Neuf in tens of thousands of pots of flowers ... Exchange Building, the museum D'0rse, Circus, Trocadero - he organized demonstrations in all symbolic places in Paris.

In 1983 he opened a line of men's fashion. In the men's clothing, as well as in women, combined fabrics of different colors, different patterns, such as striped pants and an elegant jacket in floral. In 1988 he released his first Kenzo Perfume.

"Exotica - it was me" - once wrote Kenzo. The great traveler, in every country in the world he was silent, listening, watching - and sees the essence. He avoids the word "folklore": "Folk costumes from around the world have much in common. They are surprisingly easy to combine "

. Tunics Mao, . dresses infante pictures by Velazquez, . dresses with trousers from Vietnam, . uniform of the Royal Guardsmen, . magnificent Bohemian skirts - all this has become an integral part of the so-called style of "rich hippie", . successfully withstood the attack of minimalism, . grunge and the "new classics",
. Gray - in the winter, blue - spring, lace - evening bag in the color of shoes, no more than three colors in the suit - what happened to these rules? Ask Kenzo Takada. And he replied: "Trees are green, all the trees are green, we have seen so many green trees that they have forgotten: the trees are pink too, but if all the trees were pink, I'd show you a green tree".

He dressed the bride in pink, replacing the traditional veil for a great hat-flower. Really, really pink - a symbol of pleasure - not a worthy replacement of white - a symbol of virginity? At Kenzo woman never wore "too much": if it is something like it elevates its sympathy to the absolute. She plays a fashion, not trying to impress and not provoking. She did not think globally, but lives in his small house, which is part of a large house.

In the early 90's competition was especially fierce, but even then not distinguished Kenzo no scandals, no eccentric impressions, or ambiguities in the direction of fashionable trends. "When you're forced to react to trends that you are not very close ... it imprisons. Fashion - a calendar that is always necessary to clearly follow the schedule ", - noted artist. All that he cared - to stay true to yourself.

He invents his own philosophic course - "nomadizm", claiming an absolute nature and the simple joys of life. He sews clothes for men and women, children and adolescents, the rich and not very.

In 1993, a thriving company buys Kenzo group LVMH, which owns a majority of French fashion houses. New Kenzo can afford to do just creativity, without going into the business. House Kenzo - the whole empire, bringing its creator nearly 200 million dollars a year. But he does not stop, and creates yet another house - your own.

Here, in the heart of Paris, near Place de la Bastille, he meticulously recreates a piece of Japan - with a tea house, a pond with goldfish and a garden of stones. In his house Kenzo collected souvenirs from all over the world: Japanese ceremonial curtains with image of fish - Zodiac sign Kenzo, African statues ... The door of an ancient Indian palace hangs on the wall like a painting. In the house, hundreds of elephants - in wood, bronze, porcelain, in carpets and antique prints, because it is designer made his elephant mascot. Not a single false note, all perfect, as befits a real Japanese home.

In spring 1999, Kenzo Takada was awarded the American Peace Prize - Time for Peace Award - "For a cosmopolitan career and style, absorbed echoes of a variety of cultures and traditions". For the first time such an award handed fashion designer. Kenzo introduced to the public dress of the World - my first dress haute couture, embroidered blossoms in the atelier of Francois Lesage.

And in October 1999 in Paris, Kenzo summed up: he showed his latest collection of pret-a-porter spring-summer 2000, and then an impressive retrospective of three decades of creativity. Then the designer is leaving his House. As he argues, is not suddenly and certainly not forever. Master himself appointed successor - a 38-year-old Frenchman, Gilles Rosier, who is engaged in the House of Kenzo women's clothing, and his contemporary Dane Roy Kreyberg responsible for the male line. "They have well experienced spirit brands. And I would like to, respecting this spirit, they added something new to the style evolved ".
The future of fashion, Kenzo seen contradictory: "Of course, there will be new tissue, more technical and artificial, and people will increasingly be desired natural, natural. But it will be less affordable '.

As for his departure Kenzo said: "I want to take a year and a half for the revaluation of values, relax, gain strength - I am in this very need. I travel a lot - just for fun, I want to dedicate ourselves to what previously had no time. We must be curious and do only what one likes, even if it does not make money. We must work hard and many de pour. And often organize themselves Holidays. Emigrate to where the blue sky, golden sand and hot sun. And then go back and start all over again ".

And Kenzo Takada returned. After three years of rest in the spring of 2002 he signed a contract with his former bosses at LVMH. Under the deal, LVMH invested considerable sum of money to Yume (brand, owned by Kenzo), and also help in the development direction, producing interior items. But this time the designer has no plans to resume his work as a designer clothes. "LVMH and Kenzo did not plan to once again work together to design clothing or create a new house" - said the press attache fashion. Kenzo of 63 years and had everything ahead.

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