Japan is well known for its distinct fashion look and iconic influential fashion brands and figures, especially when it comes to streetwear and high style due to its experimental fashion labels like Rei Kawakubo’s renowned COMME des GARCONS or Nigo’s streetwear favourite BAPE. Aside from these two labels, there are also other fashion designers or brands that collaborate with well-known luxury fashion houses, such as Kenzo’s Nigo and Hiroshi Fujiwara, which bring streetwear fashion to another level.
Below are several Japanese streetwear labels that we highlighted for you, which are worth having on your sartorial radar:
1. Neighborhood
Neighborhood is a well-known street brand in Japan that was founded in 1994 by the designer Shinsuke Takizawa. The label focuses on high-end biker apparel that’s popular among the biker community worldwide. Most of its design has been inspired by the American motorcycle culture, London’s punk subculture, and military uniforms. Brand highlights include everything from leather jackets to street-style hoodies, flannels, high-top sneakers, jeans and printed bomber jackets. Today, NEIGHBORHOOD has grown to be one of the most influential brands alongside Bathing APE, Undercover and WTAPS and has successfully collaborated with other international brands such as Vans, Suicoke and Adidas.
2. Bape
A Bathing Ape was founded in 1993 by the brainchild of Tomaki “Nigo” Nagao (who previously managed the Japanese cult boutique “Nowhere” alongside Jun Takahashi) and graphic designer Shinichiro “Sk8thing” Nakaramura. In 2000, A Bathing Ape was recognised worldwide due to its collaboration with big names such as Pepsi and had been worn by many music legends such as Pharell, Soulja Boy, Kid Cudi, Notorious B.I.G and Kanye West. However, in 2011, A Bathing Ape was sold to the Hong Kong fashion conglomerate, I.T Group, where it has become a more mainstream commercial name.
Nowadays, the brand’s moniker, now shortened to “BAPE”, is inspired by a five-hour “The Planet of the Apes”, which later on, Shinchiro “Sk8thing” came out with an idea and produced the famous Ape Head logo to match, and imprinted it onto camouflage clothing that was utilitarian with a sense of humour. Aside from the Ape Head logo, Bape also is well known for its BAPESTA sneakers, which nodded to famous sneaker silhouettes and designs by Nike and Adidas.
3. Undercover
Undercover is a well-known streetwear clothing brand discovered by famous designer Jun Takahashi and his supporter Rei Kawakubo in 1990. Before Jun Takahashi founded Undercover, he first established himself at Nowhere, the iconic Japanese fashion store, together with his friend Nigo. During the time he was working at Nowhere, he was inspired by punk -influence design, and he ended up establishing Undercover in order to create clothing that defied binaries; he blended traditional design with streetwear or avant-garde design while following the motto “We Make Noise Not Clothes”. Undercover has not just been popular among streetwear fashionistas; it also turns up high-fashion collections on the Paris runway and has worked on collaborations with companies like Uniqlo and Nike.
4. WTAPS
WTAPS, pronounced “double taps,” was founded in 1996 by Tetsu Nishiyama, also known as TET. The brand name “WTAPS” has been derived from the military practice of firing two shots in rapid succession, representing the line of clothes of WTAPS that is military-inspired. Basically, WTAPS provides military-style streetwear and outdoors gear, from parkas and utility pouch vests to jungle cargo pants, M-65 military jacket and its Kanye West-approved collaborations with Vans.
5. Sacai
Sacai was founded by Japanese designer Chitose Abe while on maternity leave in 1999 from her home, and it is well known for its hybridisation approach-design by combining different textures, techniques, and garments, which breaks the barrier between casual and formal dress. Sacai has an androgynous style with asymmetrical lines and layered fabrics, ranging from T-shirt dresses to tuxedo-cardigan and sweaters fused with shirts. Due to its uniqueness in design, Sacai has become popular, and they have collaborated with many big names like Birkenstock, Ugg, Nike, Vans and Moncler.
