KENZO x Vans Backpack

In the second half of the 20th century, Kenzo Takada was a trendsetter through and through. In 1970, as a graduate of the Tokyo University of Fashion, he opened his first store in central Paris, Jungle Jap, decorated to evoke a jungle setting, laying the foundations for his Kenzobrand . The brand became known in its early years for its novel combination of designs from Japanese culture and European cuts.

Since 2011, Kenzo has been led by Opening Ceremony founders Carol Lim and Humberto Leon, who, following the example of Takada's pompous shows, have spent eight years trying to bring the least expected to the scene with each new collection. In 2019, Felipe Oliveira Baptista, who was until then the head designer of Lacoste, took over as creative director of Kenzo .