An auction of art and furniture from the Kenzo apartment in Paris

Aris: About 600 pieces from the world of the Japanese designer Kenzo Takada, who spent the age of 81 years due to Covid-19 last October, will be offered during an auction on May 11 in Paris, Arcorial announced Tuesday.

Kenzo was one of the big names in the fashion world and he was the first Japanese designer to achieve great success in Paris, as he decorated his apartment in the Saint-Germain-des-Pres district with creations that reflected his fertile imagination, which highlights his influence with different currents.

Among the pieces that will be auctioned are a horse made of Japanese hinoki (a type of cypress) tree, valued at 30,000 euros, a Buddha statue from the third century, in addition to pieces from the pre-Columbian and R-Deco era. For the first time, paintings that Kenzo himself made are auctioned.

“The furniture, paintings, collectibles and artworks create a delicate balance between Eastern and Western influences, reflecting the timeless spirit of this creative genius,” auction commissioner Stefan Aubert said.

All the furniture pieces are on display in the Kenzo apartment, in the galleries of the Arcorial auctions in Paris between May 7th and 10th.

In the 1970s, Kenzo built and lived in a Japanese house in the heart of Paris. In 2009, the 70-year-old designer preferred to live in an apartment with a revealing view. “When I arrived in Paris, I was determined to live in a house with a Japanese garden. My dream came true. Now I want to live a different life,” he said in an interview with Agence France-Presse. The furniture, at the auction, was valued at 1.9 million euros.