We remember the marvelous designer @kenzo Takada who sadly passed away on 4 October 2020. Born 1939 in Japan, Kenzo already knew he would want to be part of the international fashion world, when he was secretly reading the fashion magazines of his older sisters. After studying fashion in Tokyo, he left Japan 1956 to make a name for himself in Paris and to work as a freelance designer for several labels, before creating his own collections. Since Paris has always been an expensive city to live and work in, he chose to collect his fabrics from the flea market and combined these with scraps he brought from Tokyo. Thus, a multicultural aesthetic emerged, which lead to the launch of his own brand in 1970 that represented exactly this assemble: a fitting brand of east and west aesthetic that mirrored his experience as a Japanese living in Paris. This multicultural combinations became the trademark for the @kenzo brand. The designer gathered inspiration from his frequent travels and was the one, who brought "ethnic chique" to the streets by combining Scandinavian Knitwear with Mexican rebozos, Romanian fotă with North American feather details, or African kaftan with Indian narrow suits. Every collection was a homage to individual cultures, each of his fashion shows helped to raise awareness to another culture. In the late 80s, Kenzo expanded and made a name for itself in the perfume and skincare business. Later in 1999 he announced his retirement in order to work in the art and furniture industry, he furthermore launched a ceramics brand and focused more and more on interior design. His company is now run by @nigo , known for his label APE since 1993. We will remember this remarkable designer whose inspirational and creative spirit left an iconic mark on the fashion world. Image: Alice Springs, Kenzo and mother, 1980, courtesy Helmut Newton Foundation #kenzo #designer #RIP #inspiration #multicultural #influence #remarkable #fashion #transcultural #style #alicesprings #photography #helmutnewtonfoundation