Kenzo

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CEO

Sylvain Blanc

Creation date

1970

Headquarters

18 rue Vivienne 75002 Paris

IdentityKENZO

Kenzo has been infusing positive energy and contagious freedom for half a century by boldly proclaiming a polychrome, daring and borderless fashion that celebrates nature and cultural diversity. Founded in Paris in 1970 by Kenzo Takada, who opened his first boutique in Galerie Vivienne in Paris, the House continues to cultivate and reinterpret codes that make it unique with dynamic modernity: a mix of prints and harmony of refined colors and an exuberant and sophisticated creativity imbued with optimism and impertinence.In September 2021 Kenzo embarked on a new chapter in its history with the naming of Nigo as the House’s new Artistic Director.

104
STORES AROUND THE WORLD
800
EMPLOYEES AROUND THE WORLD
28
DIFFERENT NATIONALITIES

ARCHITECTURE

The history of 18 rue Vivienne, Kenzo’s current head office, is filled with sudden developments and famous owners. This now legendary address is located a short distance from the Galerie Vivienne that was home to the House’s first Parisian boutique in 1970. In 1640, Jacques Coquet, the treasurer of France and controller-general of finances for Paris, asked the architect Pierre Le Muet to build him a mansion with two wings, one looking out onto the street and the other between a courtyard and a garden.Through exchanges, sales, division and inheritance, it passed from owner to owner, including the Marquis de Mallebois, Master of Requests and Colbert’s nephew, the Marquis de Fontenay-Trésigny, war minister under Louis XV, before becoming, in a fitting twist of fate, a House selling silk and wool. Shaped by time, 18 rue Vivienne today houses most of the Kenzo departments, including the studio, the workshop, the support functions and product development, and today powerfully embodies the House’s spirit.

18 rue Vivienne © Gabriel de la Chapelle

OUR EXCEPTIONAL TALENTS

I’m the Première d’Atelier, the Head Seamstress at the Christian Dior Couture Haute Couture workshop. This métier spans a multitude of facets. I receive sketches from our Artistic Director Maria Grazia Chiuri for execution by our model makers, who must create the shape of the piece, working from the sketches. Then the garment is fitted on a model and presented to Maria Grazia Chiuri, who may decide to adjust or correct certain things. My role in this process of making the clothes is to act as coordinator, ensuring that each step proceeds smoothly.