Takada Kenzo: Chasing Dreams

This is the first major exhibition devoted to fashion designer Takada Kenzo (1939-2020) who, besides being among the first Japanese fashion designers to find international success, was a pioneer of diversity, inclusiveness and cross-cultural mixing and matching.

A wealth of exhibits traces how, after studying fashion in Tokyo, a young Kenzo ventured alone to Paris, the world’s fashion capital, and there established his namesake label just five years later, in 1970. On the runway, Kenzo’s creations swiftly won acclaim for their unusual combinations of pattern and colour, and for the designer’s extensive use of fabrics from Japan. At a deeper level, Kenzo’s work pointed towards a future where gender, culture and national borders would all be freely transcended.

Such was Kenzo’s impact in the 1970s that the first of this show’s two main sections is devoted to his work in that decade. Exhibits here include examples of how his ’70s designs explored ‘military’ and ‘peasant’ looks, as well as embodying an approach dubbed ‘anti-couture’. The second section, meanwhile, introduces designs from a broader time frame that, while imbued with the signature Kenzo aesthetic, take inspiration from traditional costumes from across the globe.

Augmenting the many outfits are drawings and other materials that illuminate Kenzo’s design process, along with a digital presentation of his final fashion show for the Kenzo label.