The Best Japan Clothing Brands

It’s no secret that Japan is the mecca of fashion. Really, they’ve always had their ‘cool factor’ that spans across otaku culture, or technology culture, through its design and art. Not only have the Japanese been able to adapt to many trends that circulate from around the world, but they have been able to capture it in such a way, giving it its own unique flare, and completely remastering what it means to have personal style. In other words, they really have a knack for taking a modern style item and putting their own spin on it, which has led them to produce a number of high fashion brands we love that are now leading the world in clothing trends. In fact, many streetwear and especially skate culture fashion trends we see around the world today come from Tokyo’s Harajuku district, a fashion retail district known as the center of Japans most extreme style. In turn, it draws in people from all across Japan and even the world to find the latest trends and experience the fashion culture.

Japan has given the world many fashion brands we know and love including Japanese Fashion Label, COMME des GARÇONS, A Bathing Ape (BAPE), Blue Blue Japan, Uniqlo, and UNDERCOVER, all making their mark in every area of fashion. From high end luxury dress to streetwear, each have played a unique and critical role in today’s trend of mixing luxury, sport, and streetwear. While these brands have been a staple for the Tokyo fashion culture for years, the world is just beginning to shift their attention and learn about these Japan fashion brands that have been pushing the envelope of style and creativity, bringing to life amazing, high end trends to the world of fashion. While there are many popular clothing brands coming out of Japan these days, the best Japan clothing brands disrupting the street fashion industry include COMME des GARÇONS, UNDERCOVER, Issey Miyake, NEIGHBORHOOD, and Wacko Maria.

 

COMME des GARÇONS

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Comme des Garcons (@commedesgarcons) on Aug 3, 2020 at 3:34am PDT

No list of Japanese fashion brands would be complete without their most popular name, COMME des GARÇONS. First started in 1969 by Rei Kawakubo, one of the top Japanese designers in the world, the Japan fashion house first gained popularity in the 1970’s before their first official debut in Paris, France in 1981. COMME des GARÇONS is known for their particularly heavy grunge aesthetic. Many refer to it as “ragged chic” or “high end grunge”, and at first Kawakubo’s collection and avant-garde approach to design attracted equal praise as well as dismissal from critics everywhere. But as we known in the world of art, if your work causes this much controversy, you’re probably on the verge of something amazing.

And as it should be, COMME des GARÇONS became the fashion world’s avant-garde. What makes this Japanese brand so widely popular today is Kawakubo’s unique and defiant ability to turn things on their head. So much of her design is created out of straight rebellion for the item, which we can see especially exemplified in Kawakubo’s coveted collaborations with Louis Vuitton where she cut holes into a tote bag, taking away the primary purpose of the bag. From heavy designs that transform natural human shape to perfumes that smell like burnt rubber, COMME des GARÇONS has always pushed to disrupt the norm.

 

NEIGHBORHOOD

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by NEIGHBORHOOD®︎ (@neighborhood_official) on Aug 12, 2020 at 7:50pm PDT

Just your friendly NEIGHBORHOOD fashion house. First started by designer Shinsuke Takizawa, usually referred to as Shin, in1994, NEIGHBORHOOD or NBHD is one of Japans OG streetwear fashion brands, and takes a very interesting approach to fashion. In fact, it was NBHD that took to the scene in the early ‘90’s when the Harajuku fashion district began leaking in street style. The Harajuku fashion culture is a Tokyo based movement started by friends and family who created a community around high end fashion. Thanks to this eclectic fashion culture, and brands like NBHD leading the way, we now have brands like BAPE, UNDERCOVER, and GOODENOUGH. NBHD is infamous for their mix of street clothes and motorcycle subculture. Takizawa’s deep passion for the Americana biker culture comes out in his designs creating classic wardrobe pieces including flannels, leather jackets, headwear, sweats, t-shirts, and more.

Through recent collections, we’ve seen the NBHD label dive into cutting edge designs that come from an array of inspirations including Native American, prep, 20th century industrial, and even military uniform aesthetic. While NBHD continues to blow us away with their unique designs, the fashion house is best known for their authentic selvedge denim. Designed and produced with careful specifications and intricate customizations, NBHD provides their customer base with anything from distressed washes, classic light denim fades, and of course, their iconic “Savage” series which include a dark wash, faded denim that has a well-weathered look to it.

 

UNDERCOVER

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by UNDERCOVER (@undercover_lab) on Jul 22, 2020 at 3:06am PDT

Much unlike the name, this fashion house hasn’t been UNDERCOVER for very long. In fact, the infamous high end clothing stores are the epitome of the Japanese style. For a few decades now, famous designer and founder, Jun Takahashi, has been heavily influencing contemporary fashion standards today through distinct visual perspective and innovative creativity. He has played such an important role in streetwear, that some of his most early pieces are now the most sought after for collectors and fashion enthusiasts around the world.

In the famous words of Jun Takahashi, “We make noise, not clothes” – which is the best possible way to describe his eclectic fashion brand. UNDERCOVER aesthetic is a blend of professional and streetwear. He takes very sharp pieces such as fitted suits or dresses, and adds a grunge feel to them such as tears, patches, pins, and other fixings. UNDERCOVER is all about disruption, rebellion, goth, and post-modern aesthetic to create the perfect high end punk streetwear.

 

Issey Miyake

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by ISSEY MIYAKE USA (@isseymiyakeusa)

Issey Miyake is an infamous self-named fashion label started by designer, Issey Miyake. Miyake, however, wasn’t always in the business of fashion. He graduated from Tama Art University after pursuing a degree in graphic design. He went on to puruse this career as a graphic designer Paris and New York before eventually landing back in Japan in 1970. It was then that he decided to take his knowledge and expereince of the arts and apply it to women’s high end dress.

It wasn’t long before Miyake’s brilliant designes began to catch traction. Miyake was constantly experimenting with new ways to create clothes that were set apart from the rest, and as a result of this, has always been at the forefront of technology in the fashion industry. In fact, he was known espeically for his ingenious pleating methods. Issey Miyake clothing has a ery sharp chic feel to it. With bold designs, loud colors, and clean lines, Miyake adds a bit of colorful flare to an urban street aestehtic. Miyake now has flagship stores all over the world including New York, Paris, and even London.

 

Wacko Maria

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by WACKO MARIA (@wackomaria_guiltyparties) on Feb 28, 2020 at 11:01pm PST

Wacko Maria may have the most distinctive and interesting back story of any other fashion house. Wacko Maria was first started by two J-league professional football players, Nobuhiro Mori and Keiji Ishizuka. At first the pair started a joint venture together by opening Rock Steady bar in Tokyo. The bar business soon took them down a path they didn’t expect to fall into: a high end menswear line. Soon, Rock Steady evolved into Wacko Maria, and the menswear brand was inspired by Mori and Ishizuka’s passion for punk rock subculture with Latin American influences – interesting mix, right?

Well, a bar wasn’t the only thing the pair soon succeeded at. Wacko Maria is known especially for their bizarre, ornate shirts, jackets, pants, and other outerwear that is detailed with elaborate embroideries that combine both classic Americana and traditional artwork. Many of the brands work includes religious icons, oversized slogans, and absurd cuts. They have created an addicting clothing brand favored by all, but especially by fashion trend setters Know Wave’s Aaron Bondaroff.