An exciting life creates coolness
When talking about the Japanese fashion scene, it is impossible to leave out the name of Takeo Kikuchi (nicknamed Take Sensei), who laid the foundation for men's fashion as the founder of TAKEO KIKUCHI. Take Sensei will turn 86 in 2025, and the British bad boy and American casual fashion that he has continued to create at TAKEO KIKUCHI is now well-known, but in the 1980s in Japan it was a fresh style.
TAKEO KIKUCHI has weathered countless challenges up to the present day, and will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2024. Although he retired from his role as designer, he returned as creative director in 2012. What is his image of a cool adult?
"I've designed a huge amount of clothes, but I've always just been doing things that I was interested in. Looking back, I was very nervous in the '80s. I was burned out every season, so I didn't look back on the past. I was always looking forward and doing things that I thought were new, but it was mentally very tough."
Looking back on his 55-year career as a designer, Professor Take began to talk about coolness.
"I want to be cool myself, but I'm still not there yet," says Take sensei modestly, but if you look at him in person, he's still cool enough. There's no way to complain about his dignified posture, wearing clothes he designed himself.
"For example, Jean-Luc Godard is really cool. His style matches what he did so well. Also, the late actor Toshiyuki Nishida. He was also humorous and lovable. I'd like to say Jiro Shirasu, but he's so cool that it doesn't really ring a bell (laughs)."
Take-sensei's spring/summer style. Take-sensei enjoys walking and likes comfortable clothing. He wears an oversized hoodie, a vest, shorts, leggings, and Crocs. He also wears his favorite Yankees cap. By the way, he is expected to walk an average of 9,800 steps a day in 2024. 
The design drawings were created with Faber-Castell colored pencils, which Take-sensei has used for many years. In the back, there is a photo of the late Kenichi Hagiwara, a favorite of Take-sensei. 
Design drawings for AW 2025 hung up in the atelier.
Clothes only look good when people wear them
Takeo Kikuchi, the brand created by Take Sensei, has often featured iconic actors and musicians of the time in its runway shows and campaign visuals. Two of them are particularly well-known.
"There's something really special about (Tadanobu) Asano. He's an actor, of course, but he also draws pictures and does music; I think his lifestyle is wonderful. He had an aura about him even when he was still unknown, and even now that he's gotten older, he's still as cool as ever.
And Shoken (the late Kenichi Hagiwara). He was also powerful and cool even when he was young. What they all have in common is that they have remained the same since they were young, and have only grown more attractive as they have gotten older. They have a consistent core, and a strong individuality. It was a joy for me to have been able to share a generation with them."
Take-sensei has been designing for over 55 years, and even now, there is a method that remains unchanged when making clothes. That is to create a design drawing by hand. And he always starts with the face in the drawing. He says that he decides on the clothes and style by first drawing an image of the person, "What kind of person is this person and what kind of atmosphere does he have?"
"Clothes are only complete when there is someone to wear them. I draw them while imagining the kind of person they would look good on. That's why, in both runway shows and key visuals, I've always been particular about emphasizing the appeal of the person wearing the clothes."
As a designer, Take sensei has continued to create cool clothes and support cool adults. Even now, he visits various exhibitions and popular spots while on walks, and says he has an insatiable thirst for exciting things.
"Today's fashion is so dominated by basic items that it doesn't resonate with me at all. To me, basic items are boring. Of course, basic items have always been around, but they were rather unfashionable. Now they've become cool, and basic items are all that matters. That's why I place importance on what I enjoy and look for something stimulating. In that sense, I'm interested in people who look cool when they wear suits casually rather than in a traditional style."
Entering a new era, TAKEO KIKUCHI has launched a new collection, "THE FLAGSHIP." Furthermore, Takeo Kikuchi has also collaborated with MEN'S BIGI, a brand founded by Take-sensei and celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2025, to release its first collaboration in 40 years. Take-sensei's creations are far from over.
