One of the oldest Japanese streetwear labels in the world, Comme des Garçons, has been around for 54 years. Rei Kawakubo founded the label in Tokyo in 1969, and the business became official in 1973. COMME des GARONS currently operates a global chain of stores with a variety of product lines in well-known places, including New York City and Hong Kong. The brand now offers jewelry and perfume in addition to clothing.

The line "Comme les garçons et les filles de mon âge" from Françoise Hardy's 1962 song "Tous les garçons et les filles" serves as the inspiration for the trade name, which translates to "like boys" in French. For that reason, it goes without saying that the brand extensively utilizes damaged black fabrics, raw seams, and a punk-inspired aesthetic.

Even though the brand receives criticism for its odd appearance, nobody can contest its achievement in developing a distinctive style. COMME des Garçons has worked with a number of renowned fashion companies, including Converse and Louis Vuitton. The typical example is the Comme des Garçons Play x Converse Chuck Taylor All Star, which streetwear fashionistas are still quite enthusiastic about year by year.

Detailed Information:

• Founded: 1969
• Founder: Rei Kawakubo
• Headquarter: Paris, France
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/COMME.des.GARCONS.org/ (172K followers)
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/commedesgarcons/ (3M followers)
• Website: https://www.comme-des-garcons.com/

After years of working as an editor and stylist at Popeye magazine and with Jun Takahashi of Undercover, Nigo created A Bathing Ape. His love of the 1968 movie Planet of the Apes served as inspiration for the company name and logo. In particular, A Bathing Ape is a play on the Japanese proverb "A bathing ape in lukewarm water," which is used to jeer the opulent and slothful Japanese youth. Yet those are actually its very first clients.

The A Bathing Ape brand can be found all over the world. A few locations to mention are Hong Kong, New York, Taipei, London, and Paris. However, the Kyoto location is the best owing to its Bape Gallery, which is used for a variety of events and art exhibitions that Bape sponsors.

Despite the fact that cargo is A Bathing Ape's trademark pattern, it frequently works with other companies and incorporates popular media figures like SpongeBob, Hello Kitty, Nintendo, Marvel Comics, and DC Comics to release other designs. These images are used on hoodies, goods, T-shirts, accessories, coats, and shoes from the Bathing Ape collection. In addition, A Bathing Ape has worked with numerous other well-known companies, like Pepsi and Coca-Cola, as well as popular artists, including The Weeknd, Wiz Khalifa, A$AP Rocky, and Travis Scott.

Detailed Information:

• Founded: 1993
• Founder: Nigo (Tomoaki Nagao)
• Headquarter: Tokyo, Japan
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BAPE.OFFICIAL/ (448K followers)
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/BAPEOFFICIAL/ (248.7K followers)
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bape_japan/ (2.6M followers)
• Website: https://row.bape.com/

Yohji Yamamoto was one of a new generation of Japanese designers that, in the 1980s, shocked the fashion industry with their creations. Being the son of a dressmaker, he was naturally drawn into the world of fashion, although he did not adopt his mother's typical look. Yohji Yamamoto founded his first company, Y's, after earning his degree in fashion design from Tokyo's Bunka Fashion University, which at the time was controversial since it allowed women to wear men's clothing. But his professional success didn't come until 1984, when his debut menswear collection was a success in Paris.

Yohji Yamamoto adheres to his own ideas rather than adopting popular culture's tendencies. Almost every single piece in Yohji Yamamoto's collection is a masterwork of avant-garde aesthetics. In 1992, he introduced red to his color scheme along with embroideries and patterns to set himself apart from Comme des Garcons founder Rei Kawakubo.

Yohji Yamamoto is a favorite brand for many streetwear designers to partner with because of its distinctive look, both inside and outside of Japan. In this manner, the Yohji Yamamoto X Neighborhood collection is a success on the Japanese streetwear market, while the Yohji Yamamoto X Supreme collection sends a bizarre wave through the entire world of fashion.

Detailed Information:

• Founded: 1972
• Founder: Yohji Yamamoto
• Headquarter: Tokyo, Japan
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theofficialyohji/ (59K followers)
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/officialyohji (11.3K followers)
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yohjiyamamotoofficial/ (1M followers)
• Website: https://www.yohjiyamamoto.co.jp/en/

Jun Takahashi, formerly the lead vocalist of the punk tribute band Tokyo Sex Pistols, launched his own company, Undercover, after attending a Comme des Garcons performance in the late 1980s. Undercover made its debut in Paris in 2002 and quickly gained fame in North America and Europe thanks to the encouragement of Comme des Garcons founder Rei Kawakubo.

With the majority of its pieces drawing inspiration from the punk movement of the 1970s and 1980s, Undercover is well known for its streetwear designs with an American flair. Like the brand's tagline, "We make noise, not clothes," Undercover stands out for its sense of fashion defiance. Undercover clothing, boots, or jeans can be found with a mix of enslavement, goth, baroque, and horrific aesthetics.

Jun Takahashi, the creator of UNDERCOVER, collaborated with nearly all of the major Japanese streetwear brands, including Visvim, Neighborhood, BAPE, and Wacko Maria. Most impressively, this firm was one of the first to work with Futura and KAWS, two street artists whose work has become a mainstay of streetwear. With brand details and vibrant hues, the UNDERCOVER x Nike collaboration has also been a great sensation in the fashion industry.

Detailed Information:

• Founded: 1990
• Founder: Jun Takahashi
• Headquarter: Tokyo, Japan
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/undercoverlab/ (40K followers)
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/undercover_lab/?hl=en (1M followers)
• Website: https://undercoverism.com/

Before establishing himself as a Japanese local brand owner, Shinsuke Takizawa worked as a professional DJ and stylist in Tokyo. In 1994, he officially founded Neighborhood with inspiration from motorcycling and related countercultures. Takizawa is credited with pioneering the Ura-Hara streetwear aesthetic and is one of the most well-known figures in present-day Japanese streetwear.

It is not surprising that Shinsuke Takizawa and his creative director Tetsu Nishiyama are directing Neighborhood from their own distinct perspectives on the classic and modern aspects, given their long history in the punk rock scene. However, what truly sets Neighborhood apart from its Western equivalents in Japan is the exceptional quality, craftsmanship, and attention to detail.

Neighborhood does not team up with well-known musicians like rappers or singers like other regional brands do. Instead, the company prefers to design original items, so it collaborates with designers like Jun Inagawa to build a new Otaku culture or Dr. Woo, a tattoo artist, to introduce the world of tattoos to the fashion industry.

Detailed Information:

• Founded: 1994
• Founder: Shinsuke Takizawa
• Headquarter: Tokyo, Japan
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neighborhoodofficial/ (13.3K followers)
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neighborhood_official/ (611K followers)
• Website: https://www.neighborhood.jp/

Tetsu Nishiyama, also known as TET, had created his original product, FPAR (FORTY PERCENTS AGAINST RIGHTS), prior to the creation of WTAPS. He made the decision to launch his second company, WTAPS, which stands for "the second shot always finishes it," in order to focus more on clothing and fashion.

The Clash, Hans Zimmer, Public Enemy, and Creedence Clearwater Revival are all influences on WTAPS, as its founder Tetsu Nishiyama once remarked. As a result, the brand designs may include some rebel elements. Another item that has gained popularity with the public is clothing with a camouflage design or military-style uniforms.

The fact that WTAPS has become one of the trendiest brands nowadays because of their numerous collaborations with well-known companies like BAPE, Undercover, New Balance, Vans, Supreme, and Timberland serves as proof. The success of the brand depends less on its marketing hype and more on its associations with specific subcultures. From the modest neighborhood of Harajuku to the top of the globe, Nishiyama has incorporated his life experiences into his businesses.

Detailed Information:

• Founded: 1996
• Founder: Tetsu Nishiyama
• Headquarter: Tokyo, Japan
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/wtaps_tokyo (8,232 followers)
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wtaps_tokyo/ (519K followers)
• Website: https://www.wtaps.com/

Toshikiyo Hirata, who was teaching karate in the US during that time, founded The Kaital because he loved American denim. Due to this, the inventor of the brand officially built his first factory in 1984 after returning to his native Japan, and soon after, he opened his own denim and vintage store in Kojima. And in a case of "like father, like son," Toshikiyo Hirata's son, Kiro Hirata, joined the company and, with his love of art and design, contributed to the brand's success.

Every season of Kapital has bandanas, which are typically associated with workwear and bohemian attire. The Kapital design emphasizes being colorful, unique, and overflowing with visual jokes and cultural allusions. Since denim was the primary product from the start, it makes sense that it is the greatest seller overall. The indigo-dyed sashiko-style stitching gives the dyed denim a unique appearance that is rooted in Japanese culture.

When choosing an artist to collaborate with, Kapital is extremely picky in order to capture the essence of the American denim subculture. For example, Jamaica, another island nation located around 700 miles south of the Florida Keys, was the subject of the brand's collaboration with Mr. Bob Marley for its SS19 collection. The primary colors of this collection are a vibrant gold, green, and red that are taken from the Jamaican flag.

Detailed Information:

• Founded: 1985
• Founder: Toshikiyo Hirata
• Headquarter: Kojima, Okayama Prefecture, Japan
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kapitalglobal/ (405K followers)
• Website: https://www.kapital.jp/

In addition to being a well-known Japanese streetwear brand in Tokyo, Visvim is also a company that sells premium footwear that complies with the environmental and design requirements established by its founder, Nakamura. His unconventional design education was particularly shaped by his eight years of employment with the outerwear company Burton Snowboards, where he came to appreciate the value of morality in the creation of clothing.

The aesthetic Visim favors combines rustic Americana with handcrafted Japanese traditions. 'Future Vintage,' a concept that seeks to create timeless clothing that makes references to the past without being a stale imitation, is always the company's ultimate goal. Because of this, denim may always be seen in a Visvim collection.

The highly regarded cult sneaker Visvim FBT, one of Visvim's most popular product lines, was inspired by a pair of Native American shoes the designer came across while living among the tribes in remote Alaska. Furthermore, Visvim stands out from competitors in the market thanks to its use of unconventional and antiquated production techniques, such as natural indigo. However, that is also the reason why some individuals may not be able to afford the item's price.

Detailed Information:

• Founded: 2000
• Founder: Hiroki Nakamura
• Headquarter: Tokyo, Japan
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/visvim.tv (69K followers)
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/visvimwmv/ (400K followers)
• Website: https://www.visvim.tv/

Even though Wacko Maria was founded in 2005, a few years later than other brands, it has had a significant influence on the Japanese streetwear scene because of its well-known founders, former J-league football players Keiji Ishizuka and Atsuhiko Mori. Believe it or not, the duo are also successful businesspeople who own a clothing store, a vintage sound system, and a coffee shop collectively called Paradise City.

This iconic piece of Tokyo streetwear draws heavily on American music, movies, photography, and the visual arts. Their designs combine elegant, minimalistic cuts with graphics and slogans that express rock 'n' roll and street flair. The Japanese-inspired jacket from the Wacko collection is unquestionably the finest piece for any fashionista!

Remarkably, there are several opportunities for the brand to work with international musicians. However, Wacko Maria chose to interact with those whose music and energy through art are on the same wavelength as Wacko's lively style rather than forge large-scale artist collaborations. A typical example is the 2023 announcement of the collaboration between legendary rapper Tupac and Jamaican singer Bob Marley.

Detailed Information:

• Founded: 2005
• Founder: Keiji Ishizuka and Atsuhiko Mori
• Headquarter: Tokyo, Japan
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wackomariaguiltyparties/ (6.3K followers)
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wackomaria_guiltyparties/ (299K followers)
• Website: https://wackomaria.co.jp/

If not for Nigo's invitation to assist BAPE, the founder of Cav Empt, Toby Feltwell, may currently be a law student. The most shocking aspect, though, is that Feltwell spent years working in A&R for legendary musical labels XL and Mo' Wax, signing singers like Dizzee Rascal. All of the opportunities together result in the streetwear kingpin that you are familiar with today in Tokyo.

Caveat Emptor, which is Latin for "buyer beware," is what Cav Empt stands for specifically. The word is a tattoo in the Philip K. Dick book Ubik, which explores how society perceives reality and how technology affects it. This also explains the sci-fi design of the brand.

Cav Empt includes constantly changing silhouettes and the zeitgeist-capturing use of glitched images in its design. The two most well-known Cav Empt collaborations are Cav Empt x Nike, which features a distinctive digital camouflage pattern, and Cav Empt x SSZ, which comprises a line of items that includes a fleece-lined work shirt, graphic drawstring pants, and a green long-sleeve sweater.

Detailed Information:

• Founded: 2012
• Founder: Toby Feltwell
• Headquarter: Tokyo, Japan
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cavempt/ (9.5K followers)
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cavempt/ (279K followers)
• Website: https://www.cavempt.com/