Kenzo Takada died on Sunday in a hospital in France after falling ill with covid-19, French media report.
The death was announced by a spokesman for Kenzo.
Kenzo Takada was born in 1939 in Japan and founded Kenzo in 1970 after moving to Paris.
He continued to live and work in France and during his long career has designed clothes, accessories and perfume.
In 2016, he collaborated with Swedish H&M.
The Japanese-French fashion designer turned 81 years old.