Kenzo Takada portrait

Famed fashion icon Kenzo Takada passed away due to COVID-19 complications on Sunday, October 5, at 81. According to a spokesperson, the Paris-based Franco-Japanese designer had been battling the virus for weeks.

The Kenzo Instagram page confirmed the sad news of its founder’s passing with an ode to the brilliant designer. “It is with immense sadness that Kenzo has learned of the passing of our founder, Kenzo Takada,” the brand captioned a photo of Takanda in his element (creating artwork, of course) with a wide grin spread across his face.

“For half a century, Mr. Takada has been an emblematic personality in the fashion industry — always infusing creativity and color into the world,” the Instagram statement continued. “Today, his optimism, zest for life, and generosity continue to be pillars of our Maison. He will be greatly missed and always remembered.”

The Kenzo label founder’s death comes at the end of Paris Fashion Week and just days after its beekeeper-themed spring-summer 2021 runway show — brought to life by Kenzo’s current creative director and designer, Felipe Oliveira Baptista. Takada retired from the luxury fashion house in 1999, but his colorful designs and Japanese influence remain ever-present throughout its collections.

Takada was born in February 1939 in Himeji, Japan, but he spent most of his career in Paris. He embarked on a month-long journey to France around 26 in 1965 but stayed a casual 56 years. There, he dreamt up Kenzo, the worldwide brand featuring luxury clothing and accessory offerings for men, women, and children.

“When I opened my shop, I thought there was no point in me doing what French designers were doing because I couldn’t do that,” Takada told The South China Morning Post in 2019, touching on his free-spirited aesthetic. “So I did things my own way to be different, and I used kimono fabrics and other influences.”

Kenzo was founded in 1970, and it all began with a little boutique in the famous Galerie Vivienne in Paris. But the brand transcended into so much more. During that decade, he unveiled both a men’s and women’s lines and his first fragrance, named King Kong.

Takada’s death is being grieved worldwide by fashion lovers, government officials, supermodels, celebrities, and government officials. “Designer of immense talent had given color and light their place in fashion,” tweeted Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo. “Paris is now mourning one of its sons.”

“For half a century, Mr. Takada has been an emblematic personality in the fashion industry – always infusing creativity and color into the world,” said Kenzo CEO Sylvie Colin. “Today, his optimism, zest for life, and generosity continue to be pillars of our Maison. He will be greatly missed and always remembered.”

The label’s owned by the French fashion house—or should we say powerhouse—LVMH. The company also has an impressive lineup of luxury brands, including celeb-loved Givenchy, Christian Dior, and Fendi.

Keep scrolling for a look through the photo archives. Together, let’s celebrate Takada’s legacy — and his extraordinary impact on Parisian fashion.

Kenzo Takada and his mother.

Kenzo Takada in Jungle Jap Boutique in Japan.

Kenzo Takada outside of KENZO.

Kenzo-Takada-and-Engelbert-Honorat