Kenzo Takada Dead From Coronavirus

During Paris Fashion Week, the fashion industry has been mourning the loss of French-Japanese designer Kenzo Takada, who died yesterday at the age of 81 from complications from COVID-19 in a hospital in Neuilly-sur-Seine, near Paris.

«It is with immense sadness that KENZO has learned of the passing of our founder,» the fashion house said in a statement. «For half a century, Mr Takada has been an emblematic personality in the fashion industry — always infusing creativity and color into the world

KENZO S/S 2021 with designer Felipe Oliveira Beptista in the middle

It was only days ago that the Kenzo fashion house unveiled its bee-themed collection for S/S 2021. «His amazing energy, kindness and talent and smile were contagious,» said KENZO’s artistic director, Felipe Oliveira Beptista, who released the new range to us fashion editors. «His kindred spirit will live forever

The Kenzo F/W 1982 collection was a huge inspiration for the Kenzo x H&M collaboration.

Kenzo Takada brought Japanese fashion to the world, he planned to stay in Paris for six months but stayed 56 years. Born in 1939, he grew up with six siblings near the Japanese city of Himeji where his parents owned a hotel. His love for fashion developed at an early age, particularly through reading his sisters’ magazines. He studied at Tokyo’s Bunka College of Fashion, which had then just opened its doors to male students. After that he had a brief stint working in Japan before relocating to France in 1965.

The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, tweeted that the city was «morning one of its sons,» saying the designer had given space to color and light in fashion.

KENZO collections from the ’80s and early ’90s

When I think of KENZO, I think of happy fashion with his colorful graphic and floral prints, jungle-infused designs and free-spirited aesthetic that channeled global travel. He was hugely popular, both for his high fashion and luxury day-to-day streetwear.

KENZO street style hype in 2012

The designer sold his brand to LVMH back in 1993 and stepped away from the brand 6 years later to pursue a career in art. «Kenzo Takada has, from the 1970s, infused into fashion a tone of poetic lightness and sweet freedom which inspired many designers after him,» said LVMH chief, Bernard Arnault.

«My work was always about freedom and harmony,» Kenzo Takada once said. «I’d like to be remembered as a designer who crossed boundaries.» Rest in Peace – you will surely be remembered like this!

LoL, Sandra

Sporting KENZO in 2016, click here for the outfit post.

Photos: © KENZO and © Sandra Bauknecht

Hermès Passifolia Tableware

Early this year at Maison et Objet in Paris, HERMÈS launched a new tableware designed by artist and ornamentalist Nathalie Rolland-Huckel that I have fallen in love with immediately and that will hopefully make its way into my new home soon…

A true ode to the beauty of flora and tapping into the tropical jungle trend, the collection is named Passifolia – a portmanteau of Passiflora incarnata (the scientific name of the passionflower). Taking plant-based dining to a whole new level, it is the fruit of an artisanal adventure and an exploration of innovative know-how.

The service, which consist of around 30 pieces, offers an immersion in a universe that is both dreamlike and incredibly real, with floral and other more foliage-based compositions. Plates, platters and cups spread out across the table and form landscapes that invite contemplation.

A profusion of plant life to the dining table and a great way to add more greens to your table – so beautiful…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Hermès / Audrey Corregan

The Top 15 Runway Trends for S/S 2016

SS 2016 Most Important Trends

Here they are: the most important trends for the S/S 2016 season. Scroll through my forecast to see which styles will be on everyone’s shopping list next season. Let’s be honest, there is nothing really new, but that is the beauty of our century. Everything is possible!

LoL, Sandra

SS2016 Sweet Girls

S/S 2016 TREND 1: SWEET GIRLS
Miu Miu – Gucci – Dries Van Noten

SS2016 Sleepwear

S/S 2016 TREND 2: SLEEPWEAR
Balenciaga – Loewe – Alexander Wang

SS2016-Arm_Candy

S/S 2016 TREND 3: ARM CANDY
Dior – Fendi – Céline

SS2016 Off the shoulder

S/S 2016 TREND 4: OFF THE SHOULDER
Sonia Rykiel – Proenza Schouler – Edun

SS2016 Romanticism

S/S 2016 TREND 5: ROMANTICISM
Alexander McQueen – Saint Laurent – Etro

SS2016 Tribal

S/S 2016 TREND 6: TRIBAL
Balmain – Prada – Valentino

SS2016 Jungle

S/S 2016 TREND 7: JUNGLE
Roberto Cavalli – Versace – Bottega Veneta

SS 2016 Tie-Dye

S/S 2016 TREND 8: TIE-DYE
Narciso Rodriguez – Altuzarra – Paco Rabanne

SS 2016 Fine Lines

S/S 2016 TREND 9: FINE LINES
Salvatore Ferragamo – Stella McCartney – Tommy Hilfiger

SS2016 Stars and Stripes

S/S 2016 TREND 10: STARS & STRIPES
Lacoste – Marc Jacobs – Max Mara

SS2016 Boyish Overalls

S/S 2016 TREND 11: BOYISH OVERALLS
Louis Vuitton – Isabel Marant – Ralph Lauren Collection

SS 2016 Denim

S/S 2016 TREND 12: NEW DENIM
Derek Lam – Chloé – Chanel

SS2016 Disco Sparkle

S/S 2016 TREND 13: DISCO SPARKLE
Lanvin – Vetements – Nina Ricci

SS 2016 Silver

S/S 2016 TREND 14: SILVER
Victoria Beckham – Tom Ford – Courrèges

SS2016 Transparency

S/S 2016 TREND 15: TRANSPARENT EMOTIONS
Dolce & Gabbana – Emilio Pucci – Burberry Prorsum

Photos: Via Vogue.com