Kenzo Takada speaks to www.luxepointindia.com on his designs for Roche Bobois best- selling Mah Jong Sofa, his way of life presently and his views on Indian fashion industry.

It's not surprising that well-known fashion designer Kenzo Takada agreed to design for the French luxury brand Roche Bobois  to create the fabrics for their best selling  Mah Jong sofa. It's a 'creative-extrension' path where  fashion designers. like Jean-Paul Gaultier and closer home J J Valaya, Tarun Tahiliani have already walked and many more will do so in future. This Japanese-French designer, the creator of Kenzo perfumes, skincare and clothes now lives a healthy life as a yoga practitioner, visiting his home town and doing whatever appeals to him creatively. In his interview below Kenzo Takada talks about his love for the sari and the Jodhpur  jackets cuts and his views on Indian fashion.

How did you get the inspiration for the Mah Jong sofa?

I now travel back to Japan a lot more than before. I love rediscovering my native country so I wanted to bring a Japanese touch to the Mah Jong. I am an admirer of Noh theatre and was inspired by the patterns found on their kimonos. These designs and patterns were the main inspiration for this collection for Roche Bobois. Although I wanted to interpret them in a new way, it was essential that the fabrics we used respected the spirit of old kimonos, paying particular attention to the materials and jacquards.

Has your collaboration been successful/satisfying in terms of creativity and financially?

This has always been a strong friction in the creative environment. I believe both commercial appeal and creativity have to listen to one another. If there is no creativity, then you have no business, and if you have no sales, you cannot have either a business or creativity. Roche Bobois allowed me to bring my creative ideas forward and I am very proud of the final result. They allowed me to work on some aspects that were difficult to realize. We had fantastic chemistry between both our teams and we worked very well together; it was a joyous and a successful collaboration.

"I have brought many textiles

back with me from

India on several occasions.

Its fashion identity

has definitely

had an impact

on my career"

Please describe a day in the life of Kenzo Takada today as compared to 20 years ago.

I am not that young anymore, but I have a great team that surrounds me. I can’t stop working, it gives me a purpose, but I tend to take more care of myself  now considering my age. In the morning I try to do a yoga session and take my time to do what I feel like doing. Then I join my team, and work on the various tasks we need to cover for the day. The agenda remains important, but the people surrounding me make it easier.

As a world-famous fashion designer what is your take on the Indian fashion scene as compared to the fashion scene in other Asian countries for example, Japan, China, to name a few.

The Indian fashion scene will soon become one of the most important markets in the world. I have visited India many times and have always loved it. I love the sari, the scarfs, the Kurta and the Jodhpur Jacket cuts. India carries a strong heritage of traditional clothing with incredible cuts that can be adapted for today, and can influence a wide variety of designers.

In Japan design is often minimal, mostly in the home, though with great refinement. All elements need to bring a certain balance, and must not have a strong presence in order to respect the space and environment. It was interesting to work on the Mah Jong, as it has a multicultural aspect to its design.

Have you ever been inspired by Indian culture to create a collection?

I am extremely passionate about India. In India there are similar elements to Japan, you can see strong ethnical-cultural-traditional influences, mixed into a modern environment. Indian history is very rich; the colors are bright, joyful, very detailed. It is an amazing country and a culture I am deeply fond of. It definitely influenced me a lot, I have brought many textiles back with me from India on several occasions. Its fashion identity has definitely had an impact on my career.

What are your thoughts when you see young upcoming fashion designers around the world who are not scared to express as you once were?

I read about upcoming designers almost every day, I think it’s amazing. There are so many talented young people who I admire, but there are so many that it is now hard for me to follow all of them. Today, young people are given more opportunities and I really love that.

What after Mah Jong?

Many things I hope. I’m always working on something, not as much as before, but I will never stop.

What is the secret to your health?

Eating well, staying active, being curious and making time for the things I love. I think taking time to do these things has the same positive effect on us all.

From your experience what is the advice you would want to give to young fashion designers?

Never lose sight of your ambitions; don't let yourself down. Work is about solving problems, moving forward, and maintaining a certain naive approach that allows you to continue to pursue your dreams.