Japanese

  

Modern Japanese fashion can typically be divided into two categories – extremely minimal and extremely extrovert. Renowned Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto spearheaded the minimal aesthetic, using a limited and predominantly monochrome colour palette, clean lines and light fabrics to create a look which is both timeless and distinctly Japanese. Typically, the minimal aesthetic is also very androgynous, associated heavily with flowing black trousers and oversized, loose garments. In contrast, the extrovert aesthetic is derived mainly from Japanese street style – the infamous Harajuku street style is a clear influence for both new and innovative Japanese designers such as Rei Kawabuko (of Comme des Garçons) and Junya Watanabe. This category of design is a blend of exaggerated silhouettes and bold prints, designed to mirror the Harajuku style for which modern Japanese fashion is renowned.