When Kenzo Takada arrived in Paris in 1964 at the of 25, after travelling from Japan's Yokohama via boat and train, he brought with him an effusive energy that he retained throughout his career, expressed in exuberant prints, naturalistic motifs, and form-liberating silhouettes. ‘His creations were always colourful and full of joy,' Clara Vivien, fashion specialist at Parisian auction house Artcurial, says of the designer, who passed away in October 2020, aged 81. ‘His is a style that does not take itself seriously. With everything we’re going through right now we need light-heartedness, and positivity.'
A sense of optimism is certainly something to take from Artcurial's latest fashion sale. This comprises two auctions: an online sale from 3 to 12 May 2021; and a physical sale on 11 May. These feature 150 voluminous and colourful fashion pieces – spanning kimonos to coats, finished designs to uncompleted toiles – and more than 600 personal art and design objects, from the Haussmannian apartment Takada lived in for 15 years, in the centre of St Germain Des Près in Paris.
Drawing by Jean-Charles de Castelbajac for the catalogue of the Kenzo Takada Collection auction at Artcurial
The auction’s ready-to-wear pieces include designs from 2005 to 2008, which were originally made for the Takada brand and have been recreated by Artcurial from the label’s lookbooks.
The auction house previously recreated pieces for its Martin Margiela: Anvers & Contre Tous auction, in 2019. ‘It is very interesting to work this way because it brings a certain strength to the pieces presented and it allows us to retranscribe the work of the designer and his vision,’ says Vivien. She credits a voluminous pleated opera bolero jacket as a standout Takada redesign.
RELATED STORY
Interior and art objects for sale span centuries and genres. Among the pieces are Ming dynasty vases, Baccarat glassware, lithographs by Jean Cocteau, Pierre Paulin chairs, and Edo-period Japanese tableware. They reflect the diverse and inclusive approach that Takada brought to the much narrower world view of fashion design in the 1960s. His is a vision to be treasured now and in the future.
Interior of Kenzo Takada’s apartment, Kenzo Takada Collection, © Pearl Metalia – Thomas Hennocque. Courtesy of Artcurial
Orange and red changing silk taffeta evening coat, belt, by Takada A/W 2007.
Interior of Kenzo Takada’s apartment, Kenzo Takada Collection
Interior of Kenzo Takada’s apartment, Kenzo Takada Collection, © Pearl Metalia – Thomas Hennocque. Courtesy of Artcurial
Kenzo Takada, archives © DR. Courtesy of Artcurial
Opera bolero in caviar jacquard, by Takada, A/W 2007.
Interior of Kenzo Takada’s apartment, Kenzo Takada Collection
INFORMATION
Online auction takes place 3-12 May 2021. Physical auction takes place on 11 May 2021 in Artcurial’s Paris headquarters.
-
Audemars Piguet and Kaws have created the Royal Oak Concept watch we didn't know we neededThe Audemars Piguet x Kaws Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon 'Companion' is slick wrist-worn art
-
A friendly rivalry coloured by kinship: Wendy Maruyama and Tom Loeser on their two-artist show'I wanted to make furniture, just not traditional furniture, but weird furniture,' says Wendy Maruyama on ‘Colorama’, a two-artist show presented at design gallery Superhouse (until 11 January 2025)
-
Tranquil and secluded, Lemaire’s new Tokyo flagship exudes a sense of homeIn Tokyo’s Ebisu neighbourhood, Lemaire’s tranquil new store sees the French brand take over a former 1960s home. Co-artistic directors Christophe Lemaire and Sarah-Linh Tran tell Wallpaper* more
-
Bid on one-off Louis Vuitton bags designed by the world’s biggest artistsWith Sotheby’s, Louis Vuitton offers a chance to bid on its one-off ‘Artycapucines’ handbags, reinterpreted by Urs Fischer, Donna Huanca, Peter Marino, Alex Israel, Tschabalala Self and more, with donations going to charity
-
Fashion brands craft their own newspapers for A/W 2021Hold the front page – fashion brands turn to tactile print, producing newspapers and books as a way to put their A/W 2021 fashion collections in customers’ hands
-
In memoriam: Kenzo Takada (1939–2020)The Japanese fashion designer has passed away aged 81
-
Top British fashion designers create unique works for Parkinson’s charity fundraiserJoined by a host of top name artists, fashion designers create one-off art works for Cure 3. Visit our Instagram Stories for interviews with some of the participating fashion designers.
-
Dior’s Kim Jones turns curator for Sotheby’s New YorkJones turns his curatorial eye to Sotheby’s New York ‘Contemporary Curated’ sale, selecting his favourite pieces, which are on view at a public exhibition from 28 February
-
Kenzo explores family values in film ‘The Everything' -
Behind the seams: Kenzo joins the circus in a Vaudevillian romp -
Tunnel vision: decked out in clashing checks and plaid, we’re dancing to a different beat
