Kenzo Takada was born in Japan and moved to Paris in 1964 to start his fashion career. 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. The brand became Kenzo after a fashion show in New York in 1976, as the American market considered ‘Jungle Jap’ too pejorative.
In 1983, Kenzo started designing men and then kids and home collections in 1987, followed by fragrances in 1988.
