While China and the US dominate the global fashion industry, Japan’s clothing brands are steadily making their mark on the international stage. In the past, Japanese clothing brands were largely confined to domestic markets with limited global exposure.
However, in recent years, the international fashion scene has increasingly taken notice of Japan’s rich array of clothing brands, which are pushing the boundaries of style and delivering exceptional, high-quality products that have remained under the radar of many.
Japan’s fashion market is set to grow from $38.84 billion in 2024 to over $57.38 billion by 2029, with a projected CAGR of 8.12%. [1]
Below, I highlight some of the top Japanese clothing brands that have made a significant impact on global fashion. Listed in no particular order, these brands are renowned for their innovative designs, unique aesthetics, and unwavering commitment to superior craftsmanship.
Table of Contents
15. COMME des GARÇONS
Founded: 1973
Type of brand: Luxury Clothing
COMME des GARÇONS is a Japanese luxury fashion brand founded by renowned designer Rei Kawakubo in 1969. The brand gained popularity in Japan before making its Paris debut in 1981.
Initially, French fashion critics criticized Kawakubo’s designs for their unfinished seams and heavy use of black fabrics. Throughout the 1980s, the brand sparked both praise and controversy for its eccentric and uncommon designs.
COMME des GARÇONS’ collections are conceptualized at its studio in Aoyama, Tokyo, and are manufactured in Japan, France, Spain, and Turkey. The brand helped pioneer an avant-garde aesthetic that rejected the hyper-sexualized, body-conscious fashion of the time, focusing instead on a more intellectual and abstract approach to style.
Over the years, Kawakubo has dressed numerous high-profile figures, including John Waters, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Alexander McQueen. In 2018, a simple black overcoat worn by Basquiat, designed by Kawakubo, was auctioned for $20,000. [2]
Beyond fashion apparel, the label has expanded its offerings to include jewelry and perfume through its sub-brands. The brand reportedly generates annual revenue of approximately $320 million.
14. Takeo Kikuchi
Founded: 1984
Type of Brand: High-street fashion
Takeo Kikuchi is one of Japan’s most popular men’s fashion brands, known for its distinctive blend of classic and contemporary styles. Founded in 1984 by designer Takeo Kikuchi, the brand is popular for its sophisticated clothing, widely favored by business professionals for seamlessly fusing Asian fashion with European influences.
Besides the clothing segment, Takeo Kikuchi extends its design expertise to eyewear and exclusive watches. Internationally, the brand has expanded its presence to Thailand and Taiwan.
Takeo Kikuchi offers a wide array of apparel, including shirts, jackets, pants, belts, and accessories such as bags, wallets, and handkerchiefs imported from Japan.
Some of its signature items include:
- Harris Tweed Jacket: A timeless classic renowned for its durability and elegance.
- Messenger Bags: Functional and stylish, ideal for urban life.
- Mufflers: Cozy and essential for colder months.
- Boots: Crafted with meticulous attention to detail.
- Knit Jackets: Versatile pieces perfect for layering.
Recent additions to the collection include the Orange Flower Field Cotton Summer Shirt, Green Hibiscus Textured Open Collar Shirt, and Grey Herringbone Tote Bag, reflecting the brand’s commitment to both tradition and modernity.
13. Mizuno
Founded: 1906
Type of Brand: Sportswear
Founded in 1906 by Rihachi Mizuno and his brother Rizo, Mizuno Corporation began by specializing in baseball gear and has since evolved into one of the most recognized names in technical sports apparel.
Mizuno excels in producing high-tech equipment for various sports, including skiing, handball, tennis, and more. The brand is known for its innovative technologies, such as Wave technology and Enerzy Foam, which enhance performance and comfort across various athletic disciplines.
In 2018, Mizuno launched its Sportstyle line, integrating cutting-edge technology into stylish, everyday footwear. This move attracted a new audience, particularly among sneaker enthusiasts.
According to a 2023 online brand awareness survey, about 27% of US respondents were familiar with Mizuno sneakers, while 16 percent reported recognizing the brand for its overall popularity. [3]
12. Undercover
Founded: 1993
Type of Brand: Streetwear
Undercover was founded in 1993 by Jun Takahashi as a high-end streetwear label for men, women, and children.
Undercover, Takahashi’s brainchild, is a defining name in Japanese streetwear. For over 30 years, his unique design vision has shaped contemporary fashion, and early Undercover pieces have become highly sought after by collectors.
In the 1990s, Rei Kawakubo, founder of Comme des Garçons and Takahashi’s mentor, encouraged him to debut his brand in Paris. Undercover made its Paris Fashion Week debut in 2002.
Today, Undercover produces activewear for men and women in collaboration with Nike under the label Nike x Undercover Gyakusou. Since 2011, Takahashi has also partnered with Uniqlo to create Uniqlo Undercover.
While Undercover is renowned for its luxurious women’s collections, the men’s line generates a larger share of sales. In Japan, men’s collections account for 65% of sales compared to 35% for women’s. Internationally, the split is 55% men’s and 45% women’s. [4]
11. WTAPS
Founded: 1996
Type of Brand: Streetwear
WTAPS is a notable Japanese streetwear brand that emerged during the Ura-Harajuku fashion movement of the early 1990s. Founded in 1996 by Tetsu Nishiyama, WTAPS draws inspiration from the DIY aesthetic of punk and military designs.
The brand has gained a global following for its distinctive mix of minimalist and military-inspired styles. Before establishing WTAPS, Nishiyama founded FPAR, a traditional clothing brand, in 1993.
The name “WTAPS,” pronounced “double taps,” refers to a military shooting technique involving two rapid shots at the same target, symbolizing the brand’s precision and impact. WTAPS is renowned for blending authentic military designs with streetwear sensibilities and contemporary perspectives, creating highly coveted pieces in Japanese streetwear.
10. Miki House
Founded:1971
Type of Brand: Luxury clothing
Most Expensive Item: $1.600 – $2,800 children’s coat (“Gold Label”)
Miki House is a renowned kidswear brand known for its premium apparel and goods for children. Founded in 1971 in Osaka by Koichu Kimura, Miki House is celebrated for its exceptional quality, design, and craftsmanship. The brand offers a range of products, including casual and formal wear, as well as shoes, skincare products, and tableware for children.
Miki House opened its first company-owned retail store in Tokyo in 1978 and expanded internationally with its first store in Paris in 1987. The brand entered the U.S. market in 2004 with a representative office in New York.
Today, Miki House operates over 300 stores across Japan and has nearly 100 locations worldwide in cities such as London, Paris, Vancouver, New York, Melbourne, Beijing, and Seoul.
For the fiscal year 2022, Miki House reported an annual revenue of $120.77 million. Although the company faced losses in 2019, it has been profitable since then. About 70% of Miki House products are produced in Japan, with 60% of total sales coming from international markets. [5]
While the brand dominates the kidswear market in Japan, it is less well-known internationally compared to some global brands. Like other large Japanese retailers, Miki House is accelerating its international expansion to address challenges such as low birth rates and a declining working population in Japan.
9. EDWIN
New in our MADE IN JAPAN collection, the WIDE PANT in a 10.5oz Kaihara Indigo lightweight Red Selvage Denim. The widest fit we offer in our MADE IN JAPAN collection is crafted solely from 100% Cotton.
The WIDE PANT is available online: https://t.co/1THPP8YvwU pic.twitter.com/nsjIb6ZyrX— EDWIN (@EDWINeurope) April 17, 2024
Founded: 1947
Type of Brand: High-end luxury
Jeans were first introduced to Japan after World War II by Occupation-era U.S. soldiers who sold their surplus jeans on the black market. As Japanese youth embraced American pop culture, denim quickly became a symbol of trendy fashion in Japan. This led Japanese retailers to start importing jeans to meet the growing demand.
One of the first merchants to recognize the potential of jeans in Japan was Tsunemi Yonehachi. In 1947, he established his clothing brand, ‘Tsunemi Yonehachi Shop,’ which exclusively sold American-made denim in Tokyo. The brand was later renamed EDWIN, a creative rearrangement of the letters in ‘denim.’
By the 1960s, EDWIN began producing jeans domestically and established itself as a symbol of authenticity, innovation, and craftsmanship. Tsunemi Yonehachi was among the pioneers in bringing vintage American jeans to Japan, sparking a national obsession with denim.
8. Beams
Founded: 1976
Type of Brand: High-end/retail
Founded in 1976 by Etsuzo Shitara in Harajuku, Tokyo, Beams is a high-end fashion brand known for its trendsetting designs and personalized offerings. Unlike other names on this list, Beams is not particularly a clothing brand but rather a lifestyle retailer. It offers furniture, decor, and interior design products.
Beams started by selling interior products, furniture, clothing, and footwear. Over time, they focused more on refining their style. In 1999, they launched Beams Plus, a menswear line that became more popular internationally than their other products. By 2005, Beams expanded globally, opening a store in Hong Kong.
In 2023, beams.co.jp, the Japanese clothing brand Beams, was ranked 10th in the Japanese fashion market with over $200 million in sales. The company operates over 150 stores in Japan, while its international locations include Beijing, Hong Kong, Bangkok, and Taipei. [6]
7. Sacai
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Founded: 1999
Type of Brand: Luxury Fashion
Sacai is a prominent and influential name in the Japanese fashion industry. Founded in 1999 by the visionary designer Chitose Abe, the brand has swiftly become a trendsetter and leader in the field.
Before launching Sacai, Abe honed her skills working under renowned designers Rei Kawakubo and Junya Watanabe at COMME des GARÇONS. She started Sacai from a modest Tokyo office, where she initially introduced “sacai luck,” a 2006 lingerie line that eventually evolved into a comprehensive womenswear collection.
In 2008, Sacai debuted its first lookbook during Paris Fashion Week and followed up with its inaugural men’s collection in 2009. Sacai has garnered acclaim in both high fashion and streetwear circles, thanks to Abe’s strategic vision. The brand is known for its androgynous silhouettes with subtle design details in its main collections, while its collaborations often lean towards streetwear influences.
Sacai has also gained recognition for its international collaborations, partnering with brands such as Sophie Bille Brahe, The North Face, Nike, Apple, Beats Electronics, and Dior from 2016 to 2022. Vogue magazine has highlighted Sacai’s role in bridging the gap between casual and formal attire, marking its significant impact on fashion. [7]
6. Issey Miyake
Founded: 1971
Type of Brand: Luxury
Renowned fashion designer and artist Issey Miyake is celebrated as one of the most influential figures in Japanese fashion. He was known for his groundbreaking approach to design, incorporating innovative techniques and blending Eastern and Western influences in his work.
Miyake founded the Miyake Design Studio in 1970, which evolved into the globally recognized Issey Miyake brand. In the late 1980s, he pioneered new pleating methods that allowed garments to offer both flexibility and ease of care, revolutionizing fashion production.
In 1991, Miyake designed costumes for choreographer William Forsythe and Ballett Frankfurt, further showcasing his creative versatility. He also famously crafted the iconic black turtlenecks worn by Apple founder Steve Jobs, after Jobs was inspired by Miyake’s designs for Sony employees.
While Miyake is widely admired for his technology-driven clothing designs, he is also known for his exhibitions and fragrances. His fragrance L’eau d’Issey became a signature product, cementing his legacy in both fashion and perfumery.
5. Neighbourhood
Founded: 1994
Type of Brand: Premium
Similar to WTAPS, Neighbourhood is another leading Japanese streetwear brand that has earned a premium reputation. Known for its edgy, motorcycle, and military-inspired designs, Neighbourhood seamlessly combines Americana influences with Japanese craftsmanship, utilizing durable materials and bold graphics. [8]
The brand draws heavily from founder Shinsuke Takizawa’s passion for historic motorcycle subculture, producing classic American-inspired pieces like leather jackets, shirts, sweatshirts, flannels, and headwear, all infused with a rebellious biker aesthetic.
As with many high-end fashion labels, Neighbourhood’s prices reflect its premium status, with t-shirts starting at around $100 and outerwear reaching $1,000 or more.
While the brand’s recent collections have expanded to incorporate military, preppy, Native American, and early-20th-century industrial workwear styles, Neighbourhood remains best known for its authentic, high-quality denim.
4. UNIQLO
Founded: 1984
Type of Brand: Fast Fashion
Uniqlo is Japan’s largest fast-fashion brand, with retail stores in over 25 countries worldwide. Originally established as a unisex casual wear store in Fukuro-machi, Hiroshima, in 1949 under the name “Unique Clothing Warehouse,” the brand became “Uniqlo” due to a clerical error during registration.
By the late 1990s, Uniqlo had expanded to over a hundred retail stores across Japan. In 2002, it ventured internationally, opening its first store in China.
In 2013, Uniqlo’s net sales were just over $4.78 billion, which grew steadily to $6.14 billion yen by 2019. A key factor in Uniqlo’s rising global appeal is its balanced approach to collections, offering a blend of timeless classics and playful, trend-forward designs.
According to Semrush, Uniqlo.com’s average monthly traffic increased from 37.4 million visits in 2019 to 49.5 million in 2020. Today, the site attracts 54.6 million monthly visits, with an average session duration of six minutes and 33 seconds. [9]
3. A Bathing Ape
BAPE®︎ is pleased to announce a new collaborative collection with “mastermind JAPAN” led by Masaaki Homma.
The collection, will be available at BAPE STORE® Kyoto, BAPEXCLUSIVE™ Aoyama, BAPE® THINK and https://t.co/KulC1U18Ma from September 7th (Sat)
Photo: RK @RyosukeKosuge pic.twitter.com/sRGo7nTuig
— BAPE.COM (@BAPEOFFICIAL) September 5, 2024
Founded: 1993
Type of Brand: Luxury streetwear
A Bathing Ape, commonly known as BAPE, is a renowned streetwear brand founded in 1993 by Japanese designer and disc jockey Tomoaki Nagao. BAPE offers streetwear for men, women, and children and operates 19 stores across Japan and 40+ worldwide.
The name “BAPE” refers to “A Bathing Ape in Lukewarm Water,” which ironically comments on the leisurely lifestyle of its target demographic, the younger generation in Japan.
BAPE was one of the early pioneers of the trend and quickly became a cultural icon in Tokyo. The 90s and early 2000s were particularly influential years for the brand, bolstered by endorsements from fashion-forward figures like The Notorious B.I.G and Pharrell Williams.
Today, BAPE has become a mainstream brand. For the fiscal year 2023, the company reported approximately $300 million in revenue and an EBITDA of $90 million. [10]
2. United Arrows
Founded: 1989
Type of Brand: Designer Brand
Founded in 1989 by esteemed fashion designers Hirofumi Kurino and Yasuto Kamoshita, United Arrows is a prominent Japanese clothing brand with a global presence.
Although United Arrows is best known for its collaborations with international brands like New Balance, Adidas, and The North Face, it has also developed its own distinctive identity. The brand categorizes its products into two main segments: the volume market, which offers affordable everyday clothing, and the trend-conscious market, aimed at fashion-forward consumers.
In fiscal year 2024, United Arrows achieved total revenue of $942.71 million, gross profit of $487.70 million, and net income of $34.24 million. [11]
1. ASICS
Founded: 1949
Type of Brand: Sportswear
Asics is a Japanese global sportswear brand best known for its wide range of sports footwear, alongside a variety of athletic clothing and accessories.
Founded in 1949 as Onitsuka Co., the company initially focused on manufacturing basketball shoes. It gained international fame in the 1970s with the release of the ‘Mexico 66’ sneakers, which featured the brand’s signature crossed stripes design. These shoes became a global sensation, partly due to their appearance in a Bruce Lee film.
The name ASICS is derived from the Latin phrase Anima Sana in Corpore Sano, meaning “a healthy soul in a healthy body,” reflecting the brand’s core philosophy of sports and wellness. In 1977, Onitsuka merged with another sportswear company to form the Asics Corporation, as it is known today.
In 2023, Asics generated $4.01 billion in revenue, compared to $3.62 in 2022. Nearly 53% of the company’s income came from the sale of performance running shoes, 20% from other shoes, 7% from apparel and equipment, and 9% from Onitsuka Tiger. [12]
Read More
- Top 12 Japanese Car Brands
- 15 Stores Like Zara You Should Try
- 17 Nike Competitors That You Should Know About
- eCommerce, Revenue is expected to show an annual growth rate of 8.12% from 2024 to 2029, Statista
- Brooke Bobb, You can own Jean-Michel Basquiat’s favorite Comme Des Garçons coat for $20,000, Vogue
- Brand Profiles, Sneakers brands ranked, Statista
- Kelly Wetherille, A peek into the world of undercover’s Jun Takahashi, WWD
- Miho Uranaka, Miki House taps ‘Made in Japan’ appeal for $760 kids pyjamas as home market shrinks, Reuters
- History, The company has 150 stores widely spread across Japan, Beams
- Designer, Sacai collections and news, Vogue
- Products, All Neighborhood brands and collections, Neighborhood
- Traffic Overview, Uniqlo’s montly traffic stats, Semrush
- Wong Ka-Chun, A Bathing Ape owner exploring dual track exit plan, ION Analytics
- Company Profile, United Arrows’ income statement, Reuters
- Company Profile, ASICS Corporation’s revenue and earnings, CompaniesMarketCap
